A growing body of evidence suggests AIDS-related morbidity and mortality significantly decrease where potent antiretroviral therapies are used. HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) seems to significantly reduce the incidence of MAC. This study tests the validity of those observations.
Peripheral blood cultures and bone marrow (aspirate) samples from 50 eligible patients previously diagnosed with disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (DMAC) are assessed for microbiologic sterilization of MAC at the time of study entry. If either bone marrow or blood cultures test positive for MAC, patients are discontinued from study. If cultures prove sterile, patients receive 6 weeks of treatment and then discontinue MAC therapy at Week 6 (entry into Step 2 of study). They are then monitored for clinical signs and symptoms of MAC recurrence and for the presence of mycobacteria in blood cultures. In cases of increased viral load during study, modification of antiretroviral therapy is allowed at the discretion of the patient's provider.
