title: Mycobacterium avium complex infection in HIV/AIDS patients.
abstract: Disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is a severe complication of advanced HIV/AIDS disease. Disseminated infection due to MAC appeared later in the natural history of HIV disease and was an independent predictor of mortality in patients before the extended use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The use of combination schemes, including three or four antimicrobial agents followed by secondary prophylaxis and HAARTs, improved the survival and reduced mortality rates. However, subjects who ignore their serological status for HIV, or who are not receiving or do not tolerate HAART, are at high risk of developing disseminated MAC disease. In addition, patients who show a good immunological and virological response to HAART can develop episodes of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated with MAC, including supurative lymphadenitis and subcutaneous or soft-tissue abscesses. In this article, we describe the epidemiological, clinical, immunological, therapeutic and preventive aspects of MAC infection in HIV-seropositive patients in the pre- and post-HAART era.
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS Division, Infectious Diseases FJ Muñiz Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina. marcelocorti@fibertel.com.ar
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.forename: Domingo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palmero
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents