Malassorbimento intestinale della terapia antiretrovirale in un paziente affetto da AIDS e micobatteriosi atipica disseminata

Nontuberculous mycobacteria infection is one of the most serious and difficult-to-treat complications in AIDS patients. Difficult microbiological diagnosis together with variable compliance to treatment, pharmacological interactions and intestinal malabsorption are the most frequent problems that can cause treatment failure. We report a case of a young HIV-infected man, AIDS presenter with disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacteria infection and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, who failed antimycobacterial and antiretroviral treatment because of intestinal malabsorption. Clinical improvement was seen after intravenous administration of antimycobacterial drugs and following an adjustment of antiretroviral treatment due to virological failure. Intestinal malabsorption must be accounted for in cases of oral treatment failure in mycobacterial infections.