The media and public continue to be concerned about health risks resulting from exposure to mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys and other fungi present in indoor air. Mycotoxins are by-products of the natural life-cycle of all fungi. Their production is dependent on complex interactions among numerous factors including nutrition availability, moisture, temperature, and competition from other mi...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine types and levels of airborne fungal spores in air-conditioned homes built after 1980 without obvious moisture problems during the 2004 summer (rainy season) in central Florida, USA. METHODS Eighteen single-family homes were selected based on protocol questionnaire and cursory inspection, which revealed no obvious moisture or visible fungal grow...

Satratoxin G (SG) is a macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxin produced by Stachybotrys chartarum, the "black mold" suggested to contribute etiologically to illnesses associated with water-damaged buildings. Using an intranasal instillation model in mice, we found that acute SG exposure specifically induced apoptosis of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in the olfactory epithelium. Dose-response ana...

A total of 625 buildings and outdoor locations in the San Diego, California, area were monitored using the Allergenco Sampl-Air MK-3 impaction sampler or the Zefon Air-O-Cell slit bioaerosol cassette. Locations were classified by rigid criteria as clean commercial, commercial with mold growth, clean residential, residential with water staining, and residential with mold growth. In addition, coa...