ERMI and HERTSMI‑2 are powerful tools in evaluating whether an environment is safe for someone recovering from Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). They help identify mold contamination and predict the likelihood of symptom relapse when re‑entering a building.



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ERMI stands for Environmental Relative Moldiness Index. It’s a DNA-based test using MSQPCR to detect and quantify 36 mold species in dust samples from indoor environments. Developed by the EPA, ERMI compares your results to a national database to gauge moldiness.

HERTSMI‑2 stands for Health Effects Roster of Type‑Specific Formers of Mycotoxins and Inflammagens – Version 2. It’s derived from ERMI but focuses only on five mold species known to be particularly harmful in CIRS: 
  • Aspergillus penicillioides 
  • A. versicolor
  • Chaetomium globosum
  • Stachybotrys chartarum
  • Wallemia sebi
A HERTSMI‑2 score below 10 generally indicates a building is safe for re‑entry.

  1. Foundation of Healing: Removing exposure to biotoxins is the first step in treating CIRS. ERMI and HERTSMI‑2 objectively show if a building is safe or still a risk. 
  2. Objective Safety Clearance: These tests use DNA detection rather than less accurate spore traps or visual inspection.
  3. Predictive Power: HERTSMI‑2 is especially valuable in predicting relapse—scores under 10 usually mean low risk, while scores over 15 often predict relapse.

ERMI is like a detailed weather report—comprehensive but broad. HERTSMI‑2 is like a severe weather alert—focusing only on the most dangerous threats. Together, they help determine whether a household is safe for someone with CIRS and if it’s possible to heal in that environment.

Link: ERMI/HERTSMI-2

test

mold count

purpose

safe threshold

ERMI
HERTSMI-2
36 species


5 species


Broad moldiness assessment



Targeted CIRS risk indicator



< 2 (or 0)




< 10 (low risk)