Rapid risk assessment: Risk related to the use of ‘do-it-yourself' CRISPR-associated gene engineering kit contaminated with pathogenic bacteria

​On 24 March 2017, the German authorities reported the contamination of a ‘do-it-yourself’ bacterial gene engineering CRISPR kit produced in the US. The kit was contaminated with pathogenic bacteria (risk group 2), including some bacteria that are multidrug-resistant and ESBL-producing. The risk of infection by the contaminating strains in the kit is low for the users of the kit, assuming that they are healthy people. The contribution of the kit to the burden of antimicrobial resistance in the EU/EEA population and environment is marginal, and the risk associated with the kits is considered very low.