A recent study by researchers at  Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis   found certain fungi in soil can cause a significant number of serious lung infections in 48 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, including many areas long thought to be free of deadly environmental fungi. Histoplasma  is one of the three main  species  of soil fungi that cause lung infections in the U.S. Historically,  Histoplasma  was found in the Midwest and parts of the East,  Coccidioides  in the Southwest, and  Blastomyces  in the Midwest and the South. But a growing number of case reports and anecdotes suggest that all three have expanded out of their traditional ranges in recent decades. People develop fungal lung infections after breathing in spores from fungi in the soil. The spores become airborne when the ground is disturbed by farming, landscaping, construction, or even just by people walking around in fungi-rich environ...

  We often receive calls and emails requesting mold testing services. We also are asked if the home tests are any good. Well, it really depends on how accurate of a test/results want.  The Truth I can guarantee if you use a petri dish style spore capturing device and you send it to a lab, you will get results. The results will always show you have mold. Of course you have mold, mold spores are everywhere. You can put the petri dish anywhere and get results. They just won't be accurate results. On their website you will see fanfare and dropping corporate names as a way to bolster their product. In essence they might as well be selling tests for oxygen.  Simply put they rely on the ignorance of the general public to sell their product.  I can state with clarity, the results are not accurate nor indicative of the actual mold situation in your home. From an industry standard they would never be used to clear a project, post remediation. Which means their accuracy is poor...

  A study from 5 years ago found over 90% of wheat and corn flour samples in Washington, D.C., contained live fungi. Aspergillus  and  Fusarium  are commonly the predominant types of mold found in wheat flour.  Fusarium  will grow on wheat while in the field and is the cause of a disease called blight or scab. Most farmers will use  multiple techniques  to help reduce plant disease. Crop rotation, using resistant varieties and fungicides and minimal irrigation are helpful. Post harvesting, workers sort the grains to remove contaminated wheat before grinding them into flour. While sorting removes most of the contaminated wheat, small amounts of fungi can still make it into the flour. Please realize, the flour you buy at the store is raw flour that still contains live microorganisms. Eating cake batter or cookie dough can lead to fungal ingestion.  

  This post is third in a series of biofilm posts in this blog. If you read either of the last two biofilm posts, you will have a better understanding of biofilms, below are the links if you would like to read them first. Biofilms Infecting our Drinking Water - https://bostonmoldblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/biofilms-infecting-our-drinking-water.html Biofilms and Dental Health - https://bostonmoldblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/biofilm-and-health-dental.html Biofilms form all around us and are attributed to illnesses and deaths every year. Here are a few stats from Montana State Anniversary.  13,000 - Deaths a year JUST from urinary catheters. 108,000 - Amputations due to diabetic ulcers caused by biofilms.  These stats do not account for the other associated impact biofilms have on our health. I cannot overstate the importance of good dental hygiene as it relates to overall health. This oral hygiene is also important in the health of our pets.  Consider this. Poor oral hygi...

  Don't Bring Them into Your Home! Unfortunately we see this too often in homes. The home owner or professional interior decorator finds an antique piece of furniture and brings it into the home. Unfortunately most of the time the item is mold-infected, hence introducing mold into a home  Every antique store I have ever visited has that old-musty smell. Well, there is a reason for that...it's mold. Often these antique pieces are neglected,  improperly stored in basements, garages or other areas before they are put in the showroom.  Material Considerations The most common materials of concern are wood and cloth followed by leather. Often times you will see growth on the wood and leather surfaces, but it's much harder to detect on/in cloth. The fabric of furniture including the padding were often made from organic material making them susceptible to mold harboring and growth.  Inspection Before you buy an item from an antique shop, have the salesperson help you in...

  2023 Woohoo! A few points. * Blog Reminder - This blog was and is still intended for the layperson, the average Jane. I try my best to relay information in a simple manner and with terminology 99% of the population can comprehend. This is not meant to be a scientific journal. This year I decided to open the comment section of this blog to allow people to share information and interact with the hopes it will amplify the beneficial nature of this blog. * Be Kind - Let's not forget we all share this world and we have to be mindful of everyone's opinion and beliefs. Being kind! * SARS / COVID 19 - You have probably noticed I have stayed clear of making any update posts related to the "pandemic". The topic is now way too toxic and political. We conduct our business and write content for this blog using scientific information based on facts. In this new world, opinions have become facts and everyone has an opinion. I'm damned if I give facts or my opinion, so I...