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Adeno-associated dependoparvovirus A and Adeno-associated dependoparvovirus B assigned to pathogenicity class 1

Advisory reports | 21.03.2018 | CGM/180321-01

COGEM was asked to advise on the pathogenicity classification of five adeno-associated viruses (AAVs): AAV10, AAV11, AAV12, AAVrh10 and AAVpo1. More than 100 AAVs have been isolated from various hosts. AAVs can infect vertebrates, including humans (95% of people have at one time or another been exposed to an AAV). AAVs are dependent on a helper virus to complete their life cycle. In the absence of a helper virus, the AAV genome persists in a latent form in the cell nucleus. So far no mention has been made in the literature of disease symptoms caused by an infection with AAVs. Neither have there been any reports of pathogenicity of AAV10, 11, 12, AAVrh10 or AAVpo1. AAV vectors are regularly used in clinical studies.
Given the above information, COGEM recommends assigning AAV10, AAV11, AAV12, AAVrh10 and AAVpo1 as non-pathogenic to pathogenicity class 1. Based on the ubiquity of AAVs and the lack of evidence of pathogenicity, COGEM recommends that all AAVs belonging to the species Adeno-associated dependoparvovirus A and Adeno-associated dependoparvovirus B should be assigned to pathogenicity class 1.

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