Relative moldiness index as predictor of childhood respiratory illness.

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Relative moldiness index as predictor of childhood respiratory illness.

* _Vesper SJ_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Vesper+SJ " [Author]) ,

* _McKinstry C_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " McKinstry+C " [Author]) ,

* _Haugland RA_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Haugland+RA " [Author]) ,

* _Iossifova Y_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Iossifova+Y " [Author]) ,

* _Lemasters G_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Lemasters+G " [Author]) ,

* _Levin L_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Levin+L " [Author]) ,

* _Khurana Hershey GK_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Khurana+Hershey+GK " [Author

]) ,

* _Villareal M_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Villareal+M " [Author]) ,

* _Bernstein DI_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Bernstein+DI " [Author]) ,

* _Lockey J_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Lockey+J " [Author]) ,

* _Reponen T_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Search & itool=pubmed\

_AbstractPlus & term= " Reponen+T " [Author]) .

aUS Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA.

The results of a traditional visual mold inspection were compared to a mold

evaluation based on the Relative Moldiness Index (RMI). The RMI is calculated

from mold-specific quantitative PCR (MSQPCR) measurements of the

concentration of 36 species of molds in floor dust samples. These two

prospective mold

evaluations were used to classify the mold condition in 271 homes of infants.

Later, the development of respiratory illness was measured in the infants

living in these homes and the predictive value of each classification system

was

evaluated.The binary classification of homes as either moldy or non-moldy by

on-site visual home inspection was not predictive of the development of

respiratory illness (wheeze and/or rhinitis) (P=0.27). Conversely, a method

developed and validated in this paper, using the RMI index fit to a logistic

function, can be used to predict the occurrence of illness in homes and allows

stake-holders the choice among various levels of risk.Journal of Exposure

Science and Environmental Epidemiology advance online publication, 11 October

2006;

doi:10.1038/sj.jes.7500528.

PMID: 17033680 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]