Recommendations on Prophylaxis and Therapy for Disseminated Mycobacterium avium Complex Disease in Patients Infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract

Mycobacterium avium complex causes disseminated disease in as many as 15 to 40 percent of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States, causing fever, night sweats, weight loss, and anemia^1-7. Disseminated M. avium complex disease characteristically occurs in patients with very advanced HIV disease and peripheral-blood CD4 T-lymphocyte counts below 100 cells per cubic millimeter. Effective prevention and therapy of M. avium complex infection would probably improve the quality and duration of survival for HIV-infected persons.