Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC)

November 2004     View PDF     En español

Mycobacterium Avium Complex (my-koe-back-teer-ee-um ay-vee-um com-plecks) disease is among the most common bacterial infections in people with HIV. In one study, MAC bacteria were found in the blood of 43% of people within two years of diagnosis with AIDS. MAC is most likely to occur in people with CD4+ cell counts below 50 and at least one other opportunistic infection (OI).

Routine blood tests from people with low CD4+ cell counts can detect MAC at an early stage when it can be treated fairly easily. Drugs can also be used to prevent MAC disease in people with low CD4+ cell counts.

If you develop MAC disease, treatment can ease symptoms and improve your quality of life. And, if you have had MAC disease, then you will need to continue taking drugs to stop the disease from returning. Drug resistance is a serious issue in treating MAC, but potent treatments can slow the development of drug-resistant MAC bacteria.