Stachybotrys chartarum, just one of many Types of Fungi that Cause Mold Contamination Issues

July 12, 2011 - PRLog -- During the past decade there have been countless media reports about Stachybotrys chartarum, a type of fungus often associated with mold contamination in indoor environments.   The media has frequently referred to Stachybotrys chartarum as “toxic mold”.  

The term "toxic mold", used by many in media reports is often not accurate, unless the fungi are actually tested to see if they are producing toxins.  While certain molds are toxigenic, meaning they can produce mycotoxins, the molds themselves are not toxic or poisonous and do not always appear to produce toxins.  Also rarely mentioned in the media reports is that Stachybotrys chartarum is just one of many species of fungi that can produce a wide variety of mycotoxins.

These headline grabbing stories have appeared across the country in newspapers, magazines and television programs.  Although Stachybotrys chartarum is a type of mold that should not be found in elevated levels in indoor environments, it is only one of many species that can cause a host of problems for building occupants.  

Many IAQ professionals have been turning to the Mycometer®-test to get rapid results regarding possible fungal contamination in indoor environments.  “When almost any type of mold is found at elevated levels in the indoor environment it needs to be addressed,” reported Lisa Rogers, President of Mycometer, Inc. (USA), the company behind the Mycometer®-test.   “The Mycometer®-Air and the Mycometer®-Surface testing methodologies allow onsite evaluations to quantify the level of a host of fungal species, all done right onsite in as little as 30 minutes. This means results are known the same day and corrective action can begin almost immediately,” she continued.

Mycometer recently sponsored a public outreach video on Stachybotrys that can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEpmo3Z-wJA



To learn more, please visit Mycometer at http://www.mycometer.com, email lrogers@mycometer.com or call (813) 831-6511.

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About Mycometer, Inc. (USA)
Mycometer was founded in 1998 as a spin off from a research group at the University of Copenhagen. Today the company has offices in Tampa, Florida and Copenhagen, Denmark. The company develops test kits for the detection and quantification of microorganisms. Their Mycometer®-test and the BactiQuant® method are utilized by the indoor air quality, healthcare, food processing, manufacturing and water industries across the globe.