RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROPHYLAXIS AND THERAPY FOR DISSEMINATED MYCOBACTERIUM-AVIUM COMPLEX FOR ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS INFECTED WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS (REPRINTED FROM MMWR, VOL 42, PG 17, 1993)

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) causes disseminated disease in up to 40% of patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) dise ase in the United States. A U.S. Public Health Service Task Force conv ened to address the prophylaxis and therapy of MAC recommends that pat ients with HIV infection and <100 CD4(+) T lymphocytes/mu L be adminis tered prophylaxis against MAC. The recommended regimen is rifabutin, 3 00 mg by mouth daily, for the patient's lifetime. If disseminated MAC develops, a treatment regimen containing clarithromycin or azithromyci n and at least one other agent is recommended. Diagnosis, therapy, and prophylaxis for HIV-infected children follow similar guidelines.