In vivo Pathogenicity Studies of Aspergilli in Lepidopteran Model Host Galleria Mellonella

Abstract

Species of Genus Aspergillus are ubiquitous and have been involved in human affairs since centuries mainly due to their industrial applications and pathogenicity. In the recent past, larvae of Galleria mellonella are emerged as effective infection model for both bacteria and fungi. In this present study different species of Aspergillus have been evaluated for their pathogenicity by injecting G. mellonella larvae with their spores. The main findings of present work are (i) a wild type prototrophic laboratory strain of A. nidulans (as well as its genetic derivatives) is safe to handle in the laboratory (ii) A. fumigatus and A. flavus are pathogenic and (iii) previously unreported A. terreus, has quite nasty consequences for moth larvae and most likely constitute a health risk for humans.