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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

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What Are The Side Effects Of The Medicines Used In The Treatment Of MAC Infection?

It seems like I have the symptoms for MAC but if so, I am in this situation due to chemo and small cell carcinoma cancer treatment, not due to HIV so what advice do you have for me? I have heard that the side effects of the drugs used to treat MAC can be really bad. What are your thoughts?
posted on Sat, 10 Nov 2018
Twitter Tue, 25 Jun 2019 Answered on
Twitter Wed, 26 Jun 2019 Last reviewed on
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Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Hello,

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection often requires multidrug therapy, the foundation of which is a macrolide (clarithromycin or azithromycin), ethambutol, and a rifamycin (rifampin or rifabutin). All are well-tolerated drugs.

In HIV-infected patients, the use of rifamycins poses special problems—i.e., rifamycin interactions with protease inhibitors used for HIV.

For pulmonary MAC disease, thrice weekly administration of a macrolide, a rifamycin, and ethambutol has been successful.

Therapy is prolonged, generally continuing for 12 months after culture conversion; typically, a course lasts for at least 18 months.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Take care

Regards,
Dr Tushar Kanti Biswas, Internal Medicine Specialist
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What Are The Side Effects Of The Medicines Used In The Treatment Of MAC Infection?

Hello, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection often requires multidrug therapy, the foundation of which is a macrolide (clarithromycin or azithromycin), ethambutol, and a rifamycin (rifampin or rifabutin). All are well-tolerated drugs. In HIV-infected patients, the use of rifamycins poses special problems—i.e., rifamycin interactions with protease inhibitors used for HIV. For pulmonary MAC disease, thrice weekly administration of a macrolide, a rifamycin, and ethambutol has been successful. Therapy is prolonged, generally continuing for 12 months after culture conversion; typically, a course lasts for at least 18 months. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Take care Regards, Dr Tushar Kanti Biswas, Internal Medicine Specialist