Review Kuenyoul Park1, Heungsup Sung2 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hanyang University Seoul Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Correspondence to Heungsup Sung E-mail: sung@amc.seoul.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2026;29(3):10. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2026.29.3.10Received on 28 April 2026, Revised on 21 May 2026, Accepted on 26 May 2026, Published on 22 June 2026.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading atypical cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children and adults, and the prevalence of resistance to macrolides, the recommended first-line agents, varies markedly by region. Since the fastidious growth of M. pneumoniae makes phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing impractical for routine use, clinical microbiology laboratories have focused on 23S rRNA gene-targeted molecular detection. This mini-review examines

Original article Jungmi Kim1, Inyoung Kang1, Sunjoo Kim1,2 1Institute of Medical Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine, GC Labs, Yangsan, Korea Correspondence to Sunjoo Kim E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2026;29(1):3. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2026.29.1.3Received on 8 January 2026, Revised on 4 February 2026, Accepted on 18 February 2026, Published on 9 March 2026.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Background: Environmental contamination with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), including carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA), remains a major challenge in healthcare facilities. Hypochlorous acid water (HOCl) has emerged as a promising disinfectant owing to its strong antimicrobial activity and favorable safety profile. This study aimed to evaluate the bactericidal efficacy of atomized HOCl against CRAB and MRPA in a hospital room. Methods: An atomization experiment was conducted

Original article Kibum Jeon1, Nuri Lee2, Hyun Soo Kim3, Han-Sung Kim4, Wonkeun Song2, Jae-Seok Kim5 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwaseong, Korea4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea Correspondence to Jae-Seok Kim E-mail: jaeseokcp@gmail.com Ann Clin Microbiol 2026;29(1):1. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2026.29.1.1Received on 30 September 2025, Revised on 10 December 2025, Accepted on 27 January 2026, Published on 6 March 2026.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract

Letter to the editor Jaesoon Kim1,2*, Nakwon Kwak3,4*, Jee-Soo Lee1,2, Taek Soo Kim1,2, Moon-Woo Seong1,2, Jae Hyeon Park1 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea3Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea4Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work. Correspondence to Jae Hyeon Park, E-mail: bjack9@snu.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2026;29(1):2. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2026.29.1.2Received on 1 January 2026, Revised on 15 January 2026, Accepted on 30 January 2026, Published on 27 February 2026.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Dear Editor, Segniliparus spp. are acid-fast, rapidly growing bacteria associated with pulmonary infections, particularly in patients with underlying lung disease.

Review article Chang-Ki Kim Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul Clinical Laboratories, Yongin, Korea Correspondence to Chang-Ki Kim, E-mail: psoas95@gmail.com Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(4):26. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.4.7Received on 7 December 2025, Revised on 14 December 2025, Accepted on 15 December 2025, Published on 20 December 2025.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health threat, and the emergence and spread of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis continue to undermine control efforts. Multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB) is associated with prolonged treatment, higher toxicity, increased costs, and poorer outcomes compared to susceptible TB, making rapid and accurate drug susceptibility testing (DST) essential for effective patient management and transmission prevention. This review summarizes the current methods for DST in TB, focusing on the principles, strengths, and limitations of phenotypic and molecular

Original article Sungwook Song, Eunsim Shin, Sunghee Han, Sang Gon Lee Laboratory Medicine Center, Division of Laboratory Medicine, GC Labs, Yongin, Korea Correspondence to Sungwook Song, E-mail: song1221@gclabs.co.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(4):25. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.4.6Received on 26 September 2025, Revised on 9 December 2025, Accepted on 10 December 2025, Published on 20 December 2025.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a major cause of acute respiratory infections in children and adults worldwide; however, no antiviral therapies or vaccines are currently available. Therefore, rapid and reliable diagnostic tools are required to support timely patient management and control outbreaks. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated GenBody hMPV Ag Rapid Test results using 165 consecutive clinical samples collected from patients with suspected respiratory infections between May and August 2024. Specimens were

Original article Eun-Young Kim1, Yeon Chan Choi1, Hyeon Jin Choi1, Si Hyun Kim2, Jihyun Cho3, Seok Hoon Jeong4, Dokyun Kim4, Hyun Soo Kim5, Soo Hyun Kim6, Young Ah Kim7, Young Ree Kim8, Nam Hee Ryoo9, Jong Hee Shin6, Kyeong Seob Shin10, Young Uh11, Jeong Hwan Shin1 1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea2Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea.3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Wonkwang University Medical School, Iksan, Korea4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research Institute of Bacterial Resistance, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea6Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea7Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea8Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jeju National University College of Medicine, Jeju, Korea9Department of Laboratory Medicine, Keimyung University School

Original article Young Ah Kim1, Jae Kwang Lee2, Hee Kyoung Choi3 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, 2Research Center, 3Department of Infectious Disease, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea Correspondence to Young Ah Kim, E-mail: yakim@nhimc.or.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025 December;28(4):20. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.4.1Received on 22 July 2025, Revised on 21 October 2025, Accepted on 23 October 2025, Published on 20 November 2025.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Background: Diagnostic tests are essential for accurate disease identification and monitoring treatment responses. This study aimed to assess the factors influencing the requests for microbial diagnostic tests in patients with various infections. Methods: Using tailored data from the National Health Insurance Big Data, we examined the usage patterns of microbiological tests among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and major bacterial infections between 2020

Review article Ha-eun Cho1, Young Jin Kim2 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, Korea Correspondence to Young Jin Kim, E-mail: khmclab@gmail.com Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(3):17. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.3.6Received on 7 July 2025, Revised on 4 September 2025, Accepted on 4 September 2025, Published on 20 September 2025.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which is freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Abstract Latent tuberculosis infection refers to a state in which an individual is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis but shows no clinical symptoms. The World Health Organization estimates that 23-25% of the global population has LTBI, which poses a significant public health challenge owing to the risk of progression to active TB. Diagnosis of LTBI involves tests, such as the tuberculin skin test

Original article Harshad Lade1*, Tae-Im Kim1*, Jung-Min Kim1, Yong-Kyun Kim2, Kibum Jeon3, Hyun Soo Kim4, Han-Sung Kim5, Wonkeun Song6, Jae-Seok Kim1 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sahmyook Medical Center, Seoul, Korea3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea4Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwaseong, Korea5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea6Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work. Correspondence to Jae-Seok Kim, E-mail: jaeseok@kdh.or.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(3):15. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.3.4Received on 23 May 2025, Revised on 20 June 2025, Accepted on 30 June 2025, Published on 10 September 2025.Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.This is an Open Access article which