Perspective on animal models: Chronic intracellular infections

Systemic human disease caused by organisms of the Mycobacterium avium-Mycob acterium intracellulare complex (MAC) represent a chronic intracellular inf ection in human hosts who are usually immunocompromised. To develop improve d treatment and prophylaxis, and to obtain a better understanding of pathog enesis, we studied the beige mouse (C57 beige(+)/beige(+)) challenged orall y or intravenously with a human isolate that causes lethal disease in patie nts with AIDS (MAC 101, serovar 1). Encouraging anti-MAC studies in animals , as reviewed here, should provide the basis for considering human trials w ith a promising agent. The ability of an antimicrobial agent to achieve hig h intracellular concentrations has correlated with the in vivo activity of several specific compounds.