# Mycobacterium riyadhense Pulmonary Disease after Relocation from Saudi Arabia, Japan

## TL;DR

A patient who moved from Saudi Arabia to Japan developed a rare type of lung disease caused by a bacteria likely acquired in Saudi Arabia.

## Contribution

This is the first reported case of Mycobacterium riyadhense pulmonary disease in Japan, highlighting its potential for long-term persistence after relocation.

## Key findings

- The patient's infection was traced to Mycobacterium riyadhense, a species previously reported only in Saudi Arabia.
- Genomic analysis indicated the infection likely originated in Saudi Arabia and was not newly acquired in Japan.
- The case suggests that M. riyadhense can cause pulmonary disease and persist after geographic relocation.

## Abstract

We report a case of Mycobacterium riyadhense pulmonary disease in a patient who relocated from Saudi Arabia to Japan. Epidemiologic data and whole-genome analyses of the isolated strains suggested that the infection might have been acquired in Saudi Arabia and persisted, rather than a recent local acquisition in Japan.