A Survey of Clarithromycin Monotherapy for Patients with MAC Lung Disease in Japan

TomohideIwao

Abstract

A Survey of Clarithromycin Monotherapy for Patients with MAC Lung Disease in Japan

TomohideIwao

The number of patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM) has increased exponentially in recent years. In Japan, approximately 88.8% of patients with NTM suffer from Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) Lung Disease. Incidence of MAC Lung Disease is increasing owing to a rapid increase in nontuberculous

mycobacterial infections. Although basic treatment for MAC Lung Disease is chemotherapy, clarithromycin monotherapy is contraindicated by specialists owing to its high potential to induce drug-resistant bacterial strains in patients with MAC Lung Disease. However, it is unclear how much such treatment cases exist in clinical practical. This is because no long-term investigation has been carried out.