Detection and molecular characterisation of amikacin-resistant Mycobacterium abscessusisolated from patients with pulmonary disease

•Amikacin (AMK) resistance in clinical Mycobacterium abscessushas emerged.•Data on the prevalence of AMK resistance and underlying resistance mechanisms in clinical M. abscessusare limited.•AMK had high in vitro killing activity against M. abscessusfrom lung infections, with a resistance rate of 2.6% (5/194).•Most of the AMK-resistant isolates harboured a target site rrsmutation.•A1408G mutation in rrsand overexpression of WhiB7 and Tap are main mechanisms of AMK resistance in clinical M. abscessus.