ABSTRACT
Fungi are a group of eukaryotic unicellular or multicellular microorganisms that lack chlorophyll. “Mold” is the common term for multicellular fungi that grow as microscopic fi laments (hyphae). There are more than 200 different types of fungi to which people are routinely exposed (National Academy, 2002). Fungi are ubiquitous in both indoor and outdoor environments and human exposure is therefore inevitable and for the most part innocuous. However, the growth of molds in homes, schools, offi ces, and other public buildings has recently been implicated in a number of cases as the cause of a wide variety of human ailments and disabilities, and “toxic molds” have received a great deal of public and media attention over the past few years. This in turn has triggered increased scientifi c interest in the potential health effects of inhalation exposure to molds, particularly in indoor environments.
