Risk assessment of Aspergillus brasiliensis

Aspergillus brasiliensis is a worldwide distributed, saprotrophic fungus from the Aspergillaceae family that can be isolated from soil and air samples, as well as from fruit. Until 2007, A. brasiliensis was morphologically classified as Aspergillus niger due to its very high similarity to the species Aspergillus niger. A. niger, in turn, can cause otomycosis, keratitis, and aspergillosis of the lungs and is therefore assigned to risk group 2. A. brasiliensis can be clearly distinguished from other species of the A. niger complex and from A. aculeatus and A. carbonarius both morphologically (based on conidia size) and genotypically. To date, only two human illnesses caused by A. brasiliensis have been described in the medical literature in immunocompetent patients. In both cases, coordinated medication was able to cure the patient's illness. In the Technical Rules for Biological Agents 460 "Classification of Fungi into Risk Groups," A. brasiliensis is assigned to risk group 2. Based on this classification and the available data on the (low) pathogenicity of the fungus, the ZKBS assigns A. brasiliensis to risk group 2 as a donor and recipient organism for genetic engineering work, in accordance with Section 5 Paragraph 1 of the GenTSV in conjunction with the criteria in Annex 1 of the GenTSV.

The ZKBS statement can be found at File number 45243.0213 can be retrieved.