Activity of rifabutin alone and in combination with clofazimine, kanamycin and ethambutol against Mycobacterium intracellulare infections in mice.

Treatment of mice for 12 weeks with clofazimine or kanamycin decreased the number of organisms from lungs, liver and spleen of mice infected with Mycobacterium intracellulare N-260, compared with findings seen with rifabutin or ethambutol. Treatment with various drug combinations (rifabutin-ethambutol, rifabutin-clofazimine, rifabutin-kanamycin, rifabutin-ethambutol-clofazimine, rifabutin-ethambutol-kanamycin, and rifabutin-clofazimine-kanamycin), particularly in the presence of clofazimine, enhanced elimination of the organisms from these organs.