About the Authors

Kei Yamasaki

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Toshinori Kawanami

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Kazuhiro Yatera

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Kazumasa Fukuda

Affiliation Department of Microbiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Shingo Noguchi

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Shuya Nagata

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Chinatsu Nishida

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Takashi Kido

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Hiroshi Ishimoto

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Hatsumi Taniguchi

Affiliation Department of Microbiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Hiroshi Mukae

hmukae@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp

Affiliation Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: K. Yamasaki T. Kawanami K. Yatera KF HT HM. Performed the experiments: K. Yamasaki T. Kawanami K. Yatera KF S. Noguchi S. Nagata CN T. Kido HI. Analyzed the data: K. Yamasaki T. Kawanami K. Yatera KF. Wrote the paper: K. Yamasaki T. Kawanami K. Yatera KF.