Please help--I need help with this mold report

[Guest guest]

Please help me understand what these levels mean. " Unit 4 " is my condo. What

does CFU/m3 mean and what is an acceptable or normal or average level?

Experts--please? I know that the basement is horrible and the carpet even worse.

I'm just trying to figure out what it means for the IAQ in my condo.

Also--I just got sick for the third time in 30 days with gastroenteritis. Am

trying to recover. I can't afford to fly out to an expert to see if this

gastroenteritis is caused by fungi or caused by bacteria from the mold or

whatnot. Is there something I should ask my doctor to look for specifically,

perhaps in my stool sample? I get it, and then I recover, return to normal or

get constipation, and then I get it again. I don't think it's IBS because I'm

getting nausea and vomiting, etc., with this, and I've been diagnosed with IBS

before--this isn't anything like it. It FEELS like my body is rejecting toxins.

Two nights ago I went to the ER because I started cramping and then my belly

distended as though I was in the second trimester of pregnancy (I weigh 109

lbs.). I started to not be able to breathe. After a night of diarrhea (17 trips

in 12 hours) and belching (smelled like beer--extremely acidic), waves of

cramping and expulsion, it finally went down.

Thanks,

AN

Sample location and time

CFU/m3

and number of colonies on plate

 

Molds found

1.

Unit 4

50 liter SAS air sample

Ambient sample

 

700/m3

35 colonies on

plate

 

 

 

17 Cladosporium   spp

12 Aspergillus   spp

  3 Penicillium   spp

  2 Alternaria   spp

  1 Aspergillus   ochraceous

 

2.

Basement common area

50 liter SAS air sample

Ambient sample

 

Greater than 4380/m3

219 colonies on

plate

Sample overloaded, count

is a low estimate

 

 

 

48% Penicillium   spp

40% Aspergillus   ochraceous

10% Aspergillus   spp

  2$ Cladosporium   spp

3.

Outdoors

50 liter SAS air sample

Ambient sample

 

1780/m3

89 colonies on plate

 

 

 

78 Cladosporium   spp

  5 sterile

fungi

  3 Alternaria   spp

  2 Penicillium   spp

  1 Aspergillus   sp

 

4.

2nd floor, rear stairway landing carpet

10 liter SAS air sample

Aggressive sample

 

 

Greater than 21,900/m3

219 colonies on

plate

Sample overloaded, count

is a low estimate

 

 

 

45% Penicillium   spp

24% Cladosporium   spp

15% Aspergillus   spp

15% Aspergillus   ochraceous

  1% Aspergillus   niger

 

Dear Ms. (Advocate Now),

Enclosed is a table listing the results of mold testing

performed at ... on August 17, 2010.  These results show much elevated levels

of mold in the basement of this property. 

The molds found in the basement sample are present in lower numbers in

the ambient (50-liter) sample collected in Unit 4, your residence.  They are

much in evidence in the

aggressive carpet sample collected out your back door as well.  You can see by

comparing the outdoor and

the basement sample that the molds found indoors are not the same as outdoors.

I observed the basement walls to be covered with mold.  You told me tht these

walls are to be

cleaned.  I hope that the work will

be performed carefully to avoid further contaminating upstairs space.

 

In conclusion, this property has a serious mold

problem.  Hopefully the corrective

steps will make your home more comfortable for you.