DRUG-SUSCEPTIBILITY OF 60 ISOLATES OF MYC OBACTERIUM-INTRACELLULARE WITH THE RADIOMETRIC (BACTEC) METHOD

We did a 13-months retrospective study (from February 1992 to February 1993) about the in vitro susceptibilities of 60 isolates of Mycobacte rium avium intracellulare (MAI) in the laboratory of microbiology of M arseille (Hopital Salvator). This study was done with the radiometric (Bactec) method, The results were consistent with previous studies : M AI was resistant to antituberculous drugs (isoniazid, pyrazinamid, rif ampicin), Amikacin and ciprofloxacin had little efficacy. Recents drug s, Like sparfloxacin, rifabutin and clarithromycin were very effective against MAI with respectively 66,7 %, 81,6 % and 88,8 % of susceptibl e isolates. MAI became resistant to clarithromycin in two patients who se blood cultures remained positive for MAI for months. These patients both had several weeks of previous monotherapy with clarithromycin.