Dustborne and airborne fungal propagules represent a different spectrum of fungi with differing relations to home characteristics

Background: Exposure to fungi is often assessed by culturing floor dust or air samples. Our objective was to evaluate the relationships between dustborne and airborne fungi and to identify factors that modify these relationships. Methods: From November 1994 to September 1996 sequential duplicate 45‐l air samples were collected in bedrooms of 496 homes in the Boston area, using a Burkard culture plate sampler. After air sampling, bedroom floors were sampled with a vacuum cleaner that was modified to collect dust in a cellulose extraction thimble. Dust was sieved, and the fine dust was dilution‐plated onto DG‐18 media. Results: Concentrations of total culturable fungi per gram of bedroom‐floor dust were correlated weakly, but significantly, with those of indoor air (r = 0.13, P