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Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.

Ask the Experts about Opportunistic Infections

 

MAC lung disease
Mar 24, 2001

MY FATHER WAS DIAGNOSED AS SUSPICIOUS OF TB AND WAS TREATED WITH HUGE DOSES OF MEDS. THE XRAYS WERE NEGATIVE FOR TB AS WELL AS THE BRONCOSCOPY BUT WERE DONE AFTER THE TB MEDS. ANYWAY, TODAY IS FOLLOW UP XRAY SHOWED HE SUPPOSEDLY HAD MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX AND THE AREA IN THE LUNG IS GROWING LARGER. IS THERE TREATMENT OPTIONS MORE SEVERE THAN MEDICATIONS AND WHAT IS THE SURVIVAL RATE? MOST ALL INFO I HAVE FOUND IS ONLY REALTED TO HIV AND THE STATS FOR THAT ISNT VERY GOOD. PLEASE GIVE ME ANY INFO YOU CAN AS SOON AS YOU CAN. WE ARE ALL VERY CONCERNED. THANKS.

Response from Dr. Feinberg

I bet your father has chronic lung disease and a big smoking history. People with damaged lungs are susceptible to MAC. It is treatable with multiple antibiotics, and most people do well, much better than AIDS patients do because it's curable. Occasionally lung surgery is part of the treatment, but that is unusual.



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