Abstract
The first objective of this study was to determine the GenoType NTM-DR assay perfor mance for subspecies identification in Mycobacterium abscessus complex isolates. The second objective was to evaluate the GenoType NTM-DR assay ability to detect clarithro mycin and amikacin resistance in M. abscessus complex isolates compared with drug sus ceptibility testing (DST) and PCR sequencing of the erm(41), rrl and rrs genes. The concordance between the GenoType NTM-DR and MLST results concerning subspecies identification was 100%. The wild type and mutated alleles of the rrl and rrs genes were detected by the GenoType NTM-DR assay and PCR sequencing with 100% (115/115) agreement. Similarly, 100% concordance between GenoType NTM-DR and DST was observed for clarithromycin and amikacin testing. Sensitivity for the detection of clarithromy cin and amikacin resistance was 100%. The GenoType NTM-DR assay provides a robust and complementary tool to the gold standard methods (MLST and broth microdilution) for subspecies identification and drug resistance detection.