Fungal index in dwelling environments

Microclimates in moisture chambers and environment in houses were evaluated using afungal index. The index was calculated from the growth rate of a sensor fungus in a test piece,fungal detector, during an exposure period to the test environment. In the constant climates inthe moisture chambers, higher indices were obtained at higher relative humidity. In the roomswith higher fungal indices, the densities of airborne fungi were higher, indicating arelationship between the index and fungal contamination. On beddings with positive fungalindices, which were folded and kept in closets, the densities of mite allergens increased duringthe exposure period of fungal detectors, and on those with negative indices the densitiesdecreased. The houses in which fungal indices above 4 were detected in north rooms wereregarded as chronically damp. The index must be a useful tool for detecting chronic dampnessthat brings on both contaminations by fungi and by mites.