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Validity of detection of microbial growth in buildings by trained dogs

Kauhanen, E., Harri, M., Nevalainen, A. and Nevalainen, T.
2002
Environment International, v 28, n 3, p 153-157

Kauhanen, E., Harri, M., Nevalainen, A. and Nevalainen, T., (2002), "Validity of detection of microbial growth in buildings by trained dogs", Environment International, v 28, n 3, p 153-157.
Abstract:
Microbial growth in buildings may evoke respiratory and other symptoms in the occupants and promote decay of construction materials. The decay in wood is usually caused by dry-rot fungus, leading to the decomposition of cellulose and lignin. There are also some mold fungi and bacteria that can use wood as a nutrient. In this study, two trained dogs were used to detect microbial growth present in buildings. The rot fungi Serpula lacrymans, Coniophora puteana and Antrodia sinuosa were used in the training. In addition to decay samples, pieces of healthy birch, pine and imbued wood were used as controls. Another experiment was made using bacteria (Streptomyces sp.). In these experiments, a total of 100 decay, 75 control and 25 bacteria samples were used. The dogs detected 75% of the decay and 60% of the bacteria samples. Some (0-24%) control samples were also expressed as positive. Since the dogs identified also the bacteria samples without any specific training, a new test with some mold strains (Cladosporium, Botrytis, Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus) was carried out. The dogs found all the decay, mold and bacteria samples but only one sample of healthy wood. The use of dogs to detect mold or decay damage appears to have high specificity and high positive predictive value, but low sensitivity. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Author Information and Other Publications Notes
Kauhanen, E.
     
Harri, M.
     
Nevalainen, A.
Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, National Public Health Institute, Kuopio, Finland, and Department of Health Evaluation Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
  1. An approach to management of critical indoor air problems in school buildings
  2. Analysis of moisture findings in the interior spaces of Finnish housing stock
  3. Comparison of concentrations and size distributions of fungal spores in buildings with and without mould problems
  4. Comparison of two-level and three-level classifications of moisture-damaged dwellings in relation to health effects
  5. Control of exposure to airborne viable microorganisms during remediation of moldy buildings; report of three case studies
  6. Effect of building frame and moisture damage on microbiological indoor air quality in school buildings
  7. Effect of growth medium on potential of Streptomyces anulatus spores to induce inflammatory responses and cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 macrophages
  8. Effect of indoor sources on fungal spore concentrations and size distributions
  9. Effect of liner and core materials of plasterboard on microbial growth, spore-induced inflammatory responses, and cytotoxicity in macrophages
  10. Everyday activities and variation of fungal spore concentrations in indoor air
  11. Fungal spores as such do not cause nasal inflammation in mold exposure
  12. Fungi and actinobacteria in moisture-damaged building materials - concentrations and diversity
  13. Indoor air microbes and respiratory symptoms of children in moisture damaged and reference schools
  14. Induction of Cytotoxicity and Production of Inflammatory Mediators in RAW264.7 Macrophages by Spores Grown on Six Different Plasterboards
  15. Inlet sampling efficiency of bioaerosol samplers
  16. Knowledge-based and statistically modeled relationships between residential moisture damage and occupant reported health symptoms
  17. Microbes and moisture content of materials from damaged building
  18. Moisture, mold and health in apartment homes
  19. Performance of bioaerosol samplers: collection characteristics and sampler design considerations
  20. Personal exposures and microenvironmental concentrations of particles and bioaerosols
  21. Size distributions of airborne microbes in moisture-damaged and reference school buildings of two construction types
  22. Skin-prick test findings in students from moisture- and mould-damaged schools: A 3-year follow-up study
  23. Temporal and spatial variation of fungal concentrations in indoor air
  24. The relationship between moisture or mould observations in houses and the state of health of their occupants  
Nevalainen, T.
     


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