Lab Analyses what they can tell you what they can’t and how to know the difference

Sample Types direct microscopic bulk sample, tape lift, BioStrip culture samples bulk sample, swab, Hycon spore traps Air-O-Cell, MCEM, Micro-5 viable air samples RCS, Andersen

Direct Microscopic will tell you is there a fungus growing here? what is it? but not how much of it is there? how widespread is it? how long has it been there?

Sample Types direct microscopic bulk sample, tape lift, BioStrip culture samples bulk sample, swab, Hycon spore traps Air-O-Cell, MCEM, Micro-5 viable air samples RCS, Andersen

Cultured Samples can tell you could viable fungal propagules be isolated from the substrate? –will they grow and thrive in vitro? what type of fungi were isolated? how many? but not were they actually growing there?

Sample Types direct microscopic bulk sample, tape lift, BioStrip culture samples bulk sample, swab, Hycon spore traps Air-O-Cell, MCEM, Micro-5 viable air samples RCS, Andersen

Spore Traps can tell you how many fungal elements were in the air at the moment of sampling? based on their appearance, to which fungal grouping do they belong?

Spore Traps can’t tell you are the elements living or dead? precisely what are they? is there fungal growth in the area, and where? will they still be there tomorrow? is the room safe?

Sample types direct microscopic bulk sample, tape lift, BioStrip culture samples bulk sample, swab, Hycon spore traps Air-O-Cell, MCEM, Micro-5 viable air samples RCS, Andersen

Viable Air Samples can tell you how many culturable fungal elements were in the air at the moment of sampling? in culture, will they produce enough distinguishing characteristics to name them? if so, to which genus and/or species do they belong?

Viable Air Samples can’t tell you is there non-viable fungal material in the air? is there fungal growth in the area, and where? will they still be there tomorrow? is the room safe?

Direct Microscopy YYN?YYFUNGAL GROWTH INDICATED?: mite faeces tr-----mites inorganic and organic microdebris OTHER OBSERVATIONS: tr--- -unknown spores, pigmented, globose 2+-tr- -hyphal fragments, pigmented --tr- -basidiospores NOS 1+ tr Stachybotrys mycelia spores Penicillium mycelia spores tr Cladosporium mycelia spores Acremonium mycelia spores MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS (RATING):FUNGAL IDENTIFICATION:ELEMENTS: atticpowder room drawing room libraryballroomwine cellar Location: SAMPLE NO.:

Cultured Samples 027, Alternaria alternata 0008, sterile mycelium 12,000500,000NFG14,9003,360316,200TOTAL (CFU/g): 0450, yeast 12,0009, Penicillium subgenus Penicillium 09, ,200Cladosporium cladosporioides 0005,8001,200310,000Aspergillus versicolor group COMPOSITION (CFU/g)*FUNGAL IDENTIFICATION: fibreglasscarpetpipe wrapdustair filtercarpet Location: LOD (CFU/g): RBA Medium: B6B5B4B3B2B1SAMPLE NO.: Cultured Bulk Samples

Microbial populations in duct dust Standard method to test duct dust for mould is to calculate CFU/g (NADCA) This method does not work Better to test CFU/100cm 2 Here's why...

BEFORE CLEANING: Mass of dust sampled = 0.1 g Yielded 100 fungal colonies Total fungal concentration = 1000 CFU/g AFTER CLEANING: Mass of dust sampled = 0.01 g Yielded 50 fungal colonies Total fungal concentration = 2000 CFU/g

Cultured Samples SAMPLE NO.:S1S2S3S4-- Medium:RBA Location: window Sill air ductbehind sink vent grill FUNGAL IDENTIFICATION:MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS (RATING†): Alternaria sp Aspergillus niger group Cladosporium herbarum-1+- Eurotium sp Fusarium sp Scopulariopsis brevicaulis Stachybotrys chartarum--1+- † - = not observed; 1+ = CFU/plate; 2+ = CFU/plate; 3+ = CFU/plate; 4+ = >10 3 Cultured Swab Samples

"Viable" Air Samples SAMPLE NO.:RCS 1RCS 2RCS 3RCS 4RCS 5RCS 6 Volume (L):80 LOD (CFU/m3): Location:laundry rmutility rmkitchenbedroomatticoutdoors Expiry Date:Oct. 4/08 FUNGAL IDENTIFICATION:COMPOSITION (CFU/m3) Aspergillus ochraceus group----(2) 25- Cladosporium cladosporioides(4) 50(30) 375(1) 13 (5) 63(1) 13 Cladosporium herbarum(8) 100(7) 88(18) 225(41) 513(22) 275(42) 525 Cladosporium sp.---(3) 38-- Epicoccum nigrum---(5) 63(1) 13(4) 50 Eurotium sp.----(2) 25- Penicillium subgenus Aspergilloides--(6) 75-(1) 13- Penicillium subgenus Penicillium(16) 200(22) 275(1) 13-(3) 38- cf. Scedosporium sp.--(1) Stachybotrys chartarum(20) 250(1) sterile mycelium(2) 24(2)25(4) 50(18) 225(17) 213(18) 225 Ulocladium sp.----(1) 13- yeast--(1) Raw Count (CFU/strip) LOD (CFU/m3)13 Total Count (CFU/m3)

Spore Traps 28,0005,60053,0004,3002,3001,200TOTAL (elements / m 3 ): LOD (elements / m 3 ): TOTAL (raw count): SUMMARY DATA¶: 5%(8)8%(5)4%(8)tr(1)4%(2)7%(2)unknown spores, pigmented, globose tr(3)5%(3)25%(45)3%(3)12%(6)22%(6)unknown spores, hyaline, globose %(1)Stachybotrys 4%(6)3%(2)- 2%(2)4%(2)4%(1)hyphal fragments, pigmented 7%(12)16%(10)tr(3)11%(11)58%(30)- Cladosporium 39%(62)34%(22)- 63%(62)19%(10)44%(12)basidiospores NOS tr(tr)3%(2)69%(126)- - - Aspergillus / Penicillium 12%(20)25%(16)- 16%(16)4%(2)11%(3)ascospores NOS 31%(50)6%(4)tr(tr)4%(4)tr(tr)7%(2)Alternaria COMPOSITION (raw count) approx. % of TOTAL‡FUNGAL IDENTIFICATION†: 5103 No. of transects enumerated: Background (rating)§: Magnification (x): 75 Volume (L): 12/08 Expiry date: XXXXXXX Serial #: outdoorsatticbedroomkitchenutility rmlaundry Location: AIR-O-CELL SAMPLE NO.: