Mold Bacteria Consulting Services

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Moulds commonly found in carpet and mattress dust

A number of moulds are frequently found in carpet and mattress dust. Eurotium repens is the most frequently detected mould in mattress dust. Others include Aureobasidium pullulans, Alternaria alternata, Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus penicilloides and Aspergillus restrictus.

More than 100 species of moulds have been recorded from carpet dust. As with mattress dust, the most frequently isolated mould in carpet dust is Eurotium repens. The others are Penicillium chrysogenum, Alternaria alternata, Aureobasidium pullulans and Phoma herbarum.

Concentrations of these moulds in carpet and mattress dust can be as high as 70 million colony forming units per gram of dust. Such high concentrations of moulds are likely to cause respiratory allergy or irritating symptoms. Therefore, it is import to regularly HEPA vacuum the carpets, mattresses and upholstered furniture to reduce the dust and spore concentration. If people are suffering from reoccurring respiratory allergy or irritating symptoms in a building where there is no visible mould, it is suggested that dust be tested for the types and concentrations of mould present.

What are the common types of indoor mould?

Often we get questions from homeowners who want know what the black mould growing in their bathrooms, baseboard, window sills or drywall is likely to be. Black mould is often erroneously thought to be Stachybotrys and also to be the most dangerous mould. However, not every mould that appears black is Stachybotrys. There are a number of other moulds that may appear black. These include Pithomyces, Stemphylium, Ulocladium, Aureobasidium, Alternaria, Memnoniella and even some species of Aspergillus for example Aspergillus niger.

Some mould species may be very common in the bathroom, kitchen, basement or on certain building materials such as the drywall, damp paint, carpet, wood, etc. Moulds that produce large amounts of the enzyme cellulase are commonly found growing on wet cellulose containing material. The best examples of moulds in this category are Chaetomium spp and Stachybotrys spp.

Generally the type of mould growing on any substrate (material) is determined by the composition of the substrate and the water activity of the substrate. For some more details on common indoor moulds visit the web page http://www.moldbacteria.com/mold/common-building-moulds-their-hazard-classes.html.

Do you have a mould problem? Call (905)290-9101.

My Mould Test Results Said Phoma: Is Phoma dangerous?

This is one of the questions we received recently from one of our web visitors. Phoma is one of the moulds that may be found in water damaged buildings. Other common fungi in water damaged buildings include Chaetomium globosum, Stachybotrys chartarum, Ulocladium chartarum, Trichoderma spp such as Trichoderma harzianum, Aureobasidium pullulans, and the yeast fungus Rhodotorula spp.

In nature, Phoma is widespread in soil and a wide range of plants and plant materials. It is one of the most important plant disease causing agents. In indoor environment, Phoma is common on wet/damp paints, wood, wall papers, window frames, and caulking especially in bathrooms. Species of Phoma are also commonly isolated from house dust. The common species in indoor environment are Phoma glomerata and Phoma macrostoma.

Phoma species are mainly contaminants, though may rarely cause infections in humans particularly to individuals with weak immune system. They are not known to pose an inhalation hazard to humans. However, any mould growing in human occupied environment should be treated as potentially hazardous.

Do you have a mould question? Call us at (905)290-9101 now!

Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms

Salmonella food poisoning has been a growing concern in recent news. It has frequently lead to recalls of beef, salads and organic products and, even peanut butter products. Salmonella food poisoning occurs when one eats raw or undercooked foods such meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. Properly cooked food can get contaminated with Salmonella if […]

Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram negative, aerobic bacteria that is characterized as an opportunistic pathogen. It is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia and, it is the cause of Pontiac fever, a non-pneumonic form of L. pneumophila infection. Legionella spp.’s mode of transmission is through aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. The Public Health […]

The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

The mold (or mould, in the Queen’s English) has been the victim of a bad press. Mention the word and it conjures up an image of something rotting or in the process of decomposition. And yet, were it not for the mold that inspired the discovery of penicillin millions of lives would have been lost. […]