Pathogenicity classification of (a)pathogenic fungi (Update March 2026)

The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification (COGEM) advises the Dutch government, amongst others, on the classification of organisms into risk groups (classes) according to the risk they pose to human health and the environment. As these classifications are written in Dutch, they are only published on the Dutch section of the COGEM website.

In order to inform other countries and/or organisations about COGEM’s classification of organisms, an updated overview of the pathogenicity classifications of (a)pathogenic fungi has been translated into English. This update includes references to the COGEM advice in Dutch.

To ensure COGEM classification overviews remain up-to-date, changes in nomenclature and taxonomy are regularly incorporated. During the previous update in 2024, it was determined that the taxonomy of some species on the lists was not up-to-date and contained inconsistencies. COGEM therefore commissioned a research project to review the nomenclature of both non-pathogenic and pathogenic fungi and to correct any inconsistencies. The results, presented in the report ‘Update of the taxonomy of the fungal classifications lists of COGEM’, form the basis for the current update of the pathogenicity lists.