News Releases & Research Results Novel differentiation and drug susceptibility test for rapidly increasing intractable respiratory infections and MABC lung diseases

The results of the collaborative research and development project conducted by Director Yoshihiko Hoshino, Senior Researcher Mitsunori Yoshida, and Manager Manabu Ato of the Department of Mycobacteriology, Leprosy Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Kaneka Corporation, National Taiwan University, Keio University, Fukujuji Hospital, and Research Institute of Tuberculosis.

• A simple and rapid method was developed for testing three subspecies of recently rapidly increasing intractable “Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) lung disease” of great importance to public health and induced resistance to macrolide antibiotics critical for treatment.
• Kaneka Corporation aims at commercializing the test by the end of 2021 and also overseas expansion.

This project was conducted with the support of the Research Program on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases by AMED.

The results were published in EBioMedicine on January 12.

Yoshida M., et al. A Novel DNA Chromatography Method to Discriminate Mycobacterium abscessus Subspecies and Macrolide Susceptibility EBioMedicine
DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103187