ITS Region Indoor Samples

Dampness and fungal (mold) growth in buildings is a persistent environmental health problem. This study sought to determine the extent to which fungi grown on damp materials are distributed throughout a single family home. Samples were collected from fungi growing directly on building materials in the basement of a single family house, and settled dust was collected from door frames (basement, first, and second floor, building exterior) as a proxy for indoor and outdoor air. Direct mold in the basement influenced both the fungal richness and ecology of air throughout the building. Through intense spatial characterization of the fungal community of a single house, this study illustrates that fungal growth in a single location can significantly influence the fungal communities and human fungal exposure throughout the house.