Description
Quantitative detection of the microbial content of Actinobacteria and a complete Mold Panel using (NGS) Next-Generation Sequencing.
Turnaround Time: 2 Weeks
Sample Limitations: Dust by Swiffer cloth sampling – we require a minimum of 10 mg dust – if you can see plenty of dust on the Swiffer it will be fine.
- Avoid sampling surfaces that have been hot.
- Avoid surfaces that have been exposed to biocides, e.g. Chlorine containing chemicals
- Don’t sample from surfaces where there is Drywall dust or clay-like powder present.
Actinomycetes
The most frequent bacteria species found on Water-Damaged Building are Actinomycetes (which includes Actinomyces and Mycobacteria) this is the kind of bacteria that produce biotoxins similar to mold mycotoxin. As a whole, biotoxins from bacteria by weight and by mass are far more important than say, mycotoxins. “This test is based on Next Generation DNA sequencing, also known as 16S metagenomics. The test is based on microbial I.D of all the bacteria in the sample. The Actinomycetes test was developed by selecting the top 40 Actinomycetes species in the sample to create a score of actinomycetes in a situation of Building-Related Illness (BRI).
Species included in the score have been reported in multiple studies linking them with BRI.
Score system:
| Score | Score Range | Interpretation |
| Q1 | 10 or Less | Normal |
| Q2 | 11-17 | Further Investigation Required |
| Q3 | Over 17 | Elevated |
