What is Mycobacterium avium complex disease?
Mycobacterium avium [MY-co-bak-TEER-ee-um A-vee-um] complex, also known as MAC, is the name of a group of germs. These germs can infect people who are living with HIV. Adults with HIV usually dont get MAC disease until their T-cell count drops below 50. Because MAC disease occurs later in the course of HIV infection, it usually is not the first sickness a person with HIV gets. Most people with HIV have already been diagnosed with AIDS before they get MAC. About 20 to 30 percent of people with AIDS get MAC disease.
