Mycobacterium avivum-intracellulare causes invasive disease in AIDS patients. A variety of drug regimens have been used, based on in vitro susceptibility in an attempt to eradicate infection. Blood culture positivity and autopsy were used to assess response. In 12 patients treated with Ansamycin and Clofazamine, there were no responders. Cefitizoxime and Ciprofloxicin did not produce cures in several patients. The only 2 responders among 20 patients in this series received Amikacin, Clofazimine, and Ansamycin. The significance of this study is that it appears to be one of the few studies nationally to assess the efficacy of widely used new drugs with objective parameters, i.e., blood cultures. The results confirm anecodotal reports from around the country that, at this time, no drug regimen has been shown to be effective on more than an occasional patient. The efforts being expended to obtain the experimental agents Ansamycin and Clofazamine do not appear to be cost effective.
