Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 26, 2026

Reduced Itraconazole Concentration and Durations Are Successful in Treating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection in Amphibians
06:49

Reduced Itraconazole Concentration and Durations Are Successful in Treating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection in Amphibians

Published on: March 14, 2014

Rifabutin but not clarithromycin prevents cryptosporidiosis in persons with advanced HIV infection

C J Fichtenbaum1, R Zackin, J Feinberg

  • 1University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Center, Ohio 45267-0405, USA.

AIDS (London, England)
|January 12, 2001
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Rifabutin significantly reduced the risk of cryptosporidiosis in individuals with advanced HIV infection. Clarithromycin did not show a protective effect against this opportunistic infection.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • HIV Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Macrolide antibiotics have shown efficacy in preventing cryptosporidiosis among HIV-infected individuals.
  • Advanced HIV infection presents a significant risk for opportunistic infections like cryptosporidiosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effectiveness of clarithromycin and rifabutin in preventing cryptosporidiosis.
  • To evaluate these drugs in patients with advanced HIV infection and low CD4 counts.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-protocol analysis of 2288 individuals from two prospective trials was conducted.
  • Participants had CD4 counts <= 100 x 10^6 cells/L and were enrolled to prevent Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections.
  • Intent-to-treat and as-treated analyses using Cox proportional hazards models were employed.

Main Results:

  • Rifabutin monotherapy was significantly associated with a reduced rate of cryptosporidiosis (RR 0.50, P=0.041 intent-to-treat; RR 0.42, P=0.03 as-treated).
  • Clarithromycin monotherapy demonstrated no protective effect against cryptosporidiosis (P > 0.90 for both analyses).
  • The median follow-up was 463 days, with a cryptosporidiosis event rate of 2.2 per 100 person-years.

Conclusions:

  • Rifabutin, at doses used for MAC prophylaxis, effectively decreases the risk of cryptosporidiosis in advanced HIV patients.
  • Clarithromycin, under the same conditions, does not offer protection against cryptosporidiosis in this population.
  • These findings are relevant for patients not on potent combination antiretroviral therapy.

More Related Videos

Oral Combinational Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV-1 Infected Humanized Mice06:07

Oral Combinational Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV-1 Infected Humanized Mice

Published on: October 6, 2022

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors10:29

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Published on: May 9, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I01:29

Pulmonary Tuberculosis I

Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis V01:28

Pulmonary Tuberculosis V

Medical management of tuberculosis (TB) patients involves a comprehensive approach that includes diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. The specific strategies can vary depending on the type of tuberculosis (latent or active), the patient's overall health status, and other considerations.
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the progression...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...