Key Words Toxic mould · Building mycology · Indoor air quality · Health effects

Indoor air quality issues associated with exposure to moulds and their metabolites, mycotoxins, are becom-ing of increasing importance. There are believed to be about 1.5 million species of fungi of which more than 1000 species have evolved to exploit the built environ-ment. Sexually mature fungi produce large numbers of spores that when airborne can be inhaled and deposited on the mucosal surface of the upper airways and in the eyes. Occupants of buildings may be affected in any of a number of ways. Fungi and moulds can contribute to the sick building syndrome or other building related illnesses and some people can have an allergic response. Such exposure to moulds and the other fungi and their spores indoors is unavoidable except when the most stringent air filtration or other environmental measures are observed. The repeated exposure to large amount of particular fungal propag-ules is an important risk factor for the development of specific allergic reactions. There are also a large number of toxic mould metabolites which can have a range of biological activities. Black Mould (Stachy-botrys chartarum), in particular has been implicated in illnesses associated with living in damp houses. Reac-tions may be severe as in recent reports of idiopathic pulmonary haemorrhage in very young children in Cleveland, Ohio. Although some governmental agen-cies have published guidelines on mould assessment and remediation most are very general in nature and most focus on Black Mould as the major concern