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.