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The drug rifabutin may prevent Mycobacterium avium (M. avium) complex infections in some AIDS patients. This infection strikes many AIDS patients and causes considerable complications. Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of rifabutin in preventing M. avium complex infections in two studies. All the patients studied had AIDS and CD4 cell counts less than 200 per cubic millimeter. A total of 1,146 patients were randomized to take either 300 milligram of rifabutin each day or a placebo, or inactive substance. They were followed for several years. In both studies, only 8% to 9% of the patients taking rifabutin developed an M. avium complex infection, compared to 17% to 18% of those taking a placebo. Survival rates were essentially similar in the two studies.

AIDS patients who have completed treatment for cryptococcal meningitis may have less risk of a relapse if they are subsequently treated with fluconazole rather than amphotericin B. Cryptococcal meningitis is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord caused by infection with the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Out of 189 AIDS patients successfully treated for cryptococcal meningitis, 78 received an intravenous infusion of one milligram (mg) of amphotericin B per kilogram (kg) of body weight once a week, and 111 received 200 mg of fluconazole a day by mouth. Patients were followed for an average of 286 days. Two patients (2%) who received fluconazole had a relapse of cryptococcal disease during treatment, compared to 14 patients (18%) treated with amphotericin B. Patients in the fluconazole group had a lower risk of relapse one year after starting treatment than those in the amphotericin B group. Patients treated with amphotericin B had more drug-related side effects and bacterial infections than patients treated with fluconazole.