Mold Test Kit Identifies Fusarium and other Fungal Contaminants

Earlier this year, USA Today published an article about the high incidence of Fusarium that was found in a research study that tested sink drains in homes, businesses and institutions.    The article discussed these findings as a possible source of Fusarium infections in people.
 
Fusarium is a genus of fungi that is widely distributed in soils and can be a cause of indoor air quality (IAQ) problems in properties with elevated mold levels.  Most species of Fusarium are harmless in their normal settings in nature, but others can cause costly plant damage, spoil cereal crops through the production of mycotoxins (fumonisins and trichothecenes), and cause opportunistic infections in humans.
 
Mycotoxins produced by some species of Fusarium have even been researched as potential biological weapons in the past.  In homes that have suffered water damage or elevated humidity resulting in mold growth, Fusarium is sometimes found in surface and air samples.  Exposure to high levels of this or any mold can cause allergic reactions in some people and act as an asthma trigger for others.
 
“Some species of Fusarium can cause a host of opportunistic infections in humans so it’s important that their homes, schools and places of business do not have elevated levels of this fungus,” reported Bruce Jacobs, CIH, President of IAQ Index, a leading mold and indoor air quality (IAQ) test kit provider.  “Even people with a healthy immune system may develop infections of the nails or cornea from this fungus.  People with weakened immune systems may develop aggressive infections impacting the bloodstream and entire body.  These Fusarium infections can be difficult to treat as they are often resistant to many antifungal drugs.”
 
To help educate the public about Fusarium, IAQ Index has sponsored an online video that can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJwxKVuakTo  
 
To learn more about indoor air quality or other indoor environmental concerns, please visit IAQ Index at http://www.IAQIndex.com, email info@IAQIndex.com or call (888) 259-3883.
 
About IAQ Index
IAQ Index was developed by a Certified Industrial Hygienist with decades of experience dealing with indoor air quality issues.  IAQ Index was developed as a health-based, easy-to-understand, air quality index that is calculated from data generated for various parameters commonly measured during IAQ surveys.  The approach is similar to the EPA’s Air Quality Index that has been used historically to communicate the risks posed by common pollutants in the ambient air.

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Paul Cochrane

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