Genomic analysis of an Irish population of Mycobacterium abscessus complex collected between 2006 and 2017

Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) are multidrug resistant nontuberculous mycobacteria and a major cause of pulmonary infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). In this study, genomic analysis of MABC was performed to gain greater insights into the epidemiology of circulating strains in Ireland. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on 70 MABC isolates that had been referred to the Irish Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory between 2006 and 2017 across nine Irish healthcare centres.