Journal Top Ten, COLUMNS-Mold, March 2005

TITLE: "Prevalence and airborne spore levels of Stachybotrys spp. in 200 houses with water incursions in Houston, Texas"

SUMMARY: Two hundred homes with a history of water incursion were sampled for fungi to determine the prevalence and airborne spore levels of Stachybotrys spp. Stachybotrys spp. were detected with at least one of the methods in 58.5 percent of the houses tested, but only 9.5 percent of the room air samples contained Stachybotrys spores. Aerosolization of Stachybotrys spores was correlated with both wall cavity and surface contamination. After adjustment for the surface …