Review article Si Hyun Kim1, Jeong Hwan Shin2 1Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University, Gimhae, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine and Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea Correspondence to Jeong Hwan Shin E-mail: jhsmile@paik.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(3):16. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.3.5Received on 30 June 2025, Revised on 30 July 2025, Accepted on 1 August 2025, Published on 11 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 Accurate identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is crucial for effective patient management. With declining tuberculosis and rising NTM infections in South Korea, rapid diagnostics are essential. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current diagnostic methods for mycobacterial identification used in Korean clinical laboratories. The field has shifted from conventional methods, such as

Original article Young Ah Kim1, Jaekwang Lee2, Sunmin Lee3 Departments of 1Laboratory Medicine, 2Research and Analysis, 3Pulmonology Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea Correspondence to Young Ah Kim, E-mail: yakim@nhimc.or.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(3):12. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.3.1Received on 17 March 2025, Revised on 12 May 2025, Accepted on 15 May 2025, Published on 24 July 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: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has pushed back years of progress that essential tuberculosis (TB) medical services provided in reducing the burden of TB. This study evaluated the clinical impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on TB management based on treatment discontinuation and mortality rates. Methods: Two time intervals were included in this study: before the spread of COVID-19 (2018–2019) and during the pandemic phase of COVID-19

Original article Jung-ah Kim1*, Sae Am Song2*, Sunjoo Kim3, Sunggyun Park4, Kwangsook Woo5, Yu Kyung Kim6 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.4Departments of Laboratory Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea5Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea6Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work. Correspondence to Sunjoo Kim, E-mail: sjkim8239@hanmail.net Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(2):10. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.2.4Received on 30 May 2025, Revised on 12 June 2025, Accepted on 12 June 2025, Published on 27 June 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: Bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major

Original article Kwangjin Ahn1, Hyunju Choi1, Taesic Lee2, Young Uh1 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea2Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea Correspondence to Young Uh, E-mail: u931018@yonsei.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(2):7. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.2.1Received on 4 March 2025, Revised on 7 April 2025, Accepted on 14 April 2025, Published on 19 May 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: Identifying Bacillus spp. and performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is challenging because of their diversity and limited clinical laboratory resources. We investigated the isolation frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility of Bacillus spp. over a 4-year period. Methods: Bacillus isolates collected between 2020 and 2024 were identified using matrixassisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, and AST was performed using

Review article Yong Jun Kwon, Jong Hee Shin Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea Corresponding to Jong Hee Shin, E-mail: shinjh@chonnam.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2024;27(4):231-244. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2024.27.4.3Received on 9 October 2024, Revised on 27 November 2024, Accepted on 29 November 2024, Published on 20 December 2024.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 Purpose: Candidemia is a common cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections associated with high mortality rates. Its incidence varies significantly across countries and hospitals, and its epidemiology is a subject of continuous investigation. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of candidemia in Korea, addressing its changing epidemiology, species distribution, antifungal resistance, and clinical implications. Current content: In Korea, Candida albicans remains the most common isolate in blood cultures; however, infections caused by

Review article Young Bok Lee, Mingyu Kim, Dong Soo Yu Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Young Bok Lee, E-mail: lyb80@catholic.ac.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(1):1. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.1.1Received on 9 October 2024, Revised on 28 November 2024, Accepted on 29 November 2024, Published on 30 December 2024.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 Cutaneous dermatophyte infections, dermatophytosis, are common worldwide, affecting various age groups and body parts. Despite advancements in antifungal therapies, the prevalence of dermatophytosis continues to increase, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an overview of the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic methods for dermatophytosis in Korea. A comprehensive review of domestic reports and research on dermatophytosis in Korea was conducted using data from KoreaMed. This study

Review article Eun Ha Lee1, Chi Rac Hong2 1Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, Korea 2Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea Corresponding to Eun Ha Lee, E-mail: ehlee@kist.re.kr Ann Clin Microbiol 2025;28(1):2. https://doi.org/10.5145/ACM.2025.28.1.2Received on 10 October 2024, Revised on 21 November 2024, Accepted on 27 November 2024, Published on 30 December 2024.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 Purpose: The human gut mycobiome comprises diverse fungal species and plays a crucial role in health and disease, despite its relatively low abundance compared to bacterial populations. This review provides an overview of the mycobiome’s composition, developmental patterns, and dysbiosis in various pathological conditions. In addition, the complex interactions of fungal communities within the gut microbiome are discussed. Current content: The