AST of mycobacteria

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Mycobacteria

The EUCAST AMST develops breakpoints and methods for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of mycobacteria.

Anyone with an interest in antimicrobial agents in general and antimicrobial breakpoints in particular is invited to contact EUCAST, ESCMID or one of the National Breakpoint Committees. Use the EUCAST subject related contact form.

Remit of the EUCAST AMST subcommittee

  1. Define and standardise a reference methodology for MIC-determination of the M. tuberculosis complex and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).
  2. Develop a SOP for the EUCAST reference MIC method.
  3. Develop a SOP for the calibration of surrogate methods against the EUCAST reference MIC method.
  4. Develop a technical reference protocol for MIC-determination  of antimycobacterial agents dissolved in DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide).
  5. Define a set of quality control strains.
  6. Organise studies to establish reproducibility of the reference method in at least three laboratories.
  7.  Organise  studies to generate MIC distributions for the reference strains. The reference MICs will be performed in at least three reference laboratories.
  8. Interact with the EUCAST Steering Committee in the setting of breakpoints for antimycobacterial agents.
  9. Define the relevance of molecular testing and mutation frequencies and their relationship to phenotypic testing.

Information for industry aiming to bring agents to EUCAST for review and revision of breakpoints or a new agent to EMA for registration is available at Information for industry

 

EUCAST-AMST Subcommittee (SC) members 2021 

  • Emmanuelle Cambau (France), Chair.
    GHU APHP-Nord, Université de Paris, Inserm UMR 1137 IAME, Service de Mycobactériologie spécialisée et de référence, Hôpital Bichat - batiment principal locaux IMEA rez de chaussée, 46 rue Henri Huchard 75018 Paris, France (email: emmanuelle.cambau[at]aphp.fr)
  • Jim Werngren (Sweden), Secretary 
  • Daniela Cirillo (Italy), AMST SC member
  • Miguel Santin (Spain), AMST SC member
  • Fernando Alcaide (Spain), AMST SC member 
  • Emmanuel André (Belgium), AMST SC member
  • Jakko van Ingen (The Netherlands), AMST SC member
  • Miguel Viveiros (Portugal), General committee/AMST representative
  • Gerard Lina (France), EUCAST Steering committee observer
  • Gunnar Kahlmeter (Sweden), EUCAST Steering committee observer
  • Christian Giske (Sweden), EUCAST Steering committee observer

Currently the following laboratories have agreed to help EUCAST develop EUCAST mycobacterial methods.

  • Prof. Emmanuelle Cambau. GHU APHP-Nord, Université de Paris, Inserm UMR 1137 IAME, Service de Mycobactériologie spécialisée et de référence, Hôpital Bichat - batiment principal locaux IMEA rez de chaussée, 46 rue Henri Huchard 75018 Paris, France (email: emmanuelle.cambau[at]aphp.fr)
  • Dr. Daniela Cirillo. Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit: San Raffaele Scientific Institute (HSR). Milan, Italy. 
  • Dr. Jim Werngren. National and WHO Supranational Reference Laboratory for TB, Public Health Agency of Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden. 
  • Prof. Miguel Viveiros. Inst. Higiene Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal.

For Copyright statement and reference to EUCAST material, see the homepage of EUCAST.