The German guideline on medical clinical diagnostics for indoor mold exposure: key messages

Abstract

The AWMF S2k guideline “Medical clinical diagnostics for indoor mold exposure” was introduced in 2016. The guideline is based on a standardized procedure of the AWMF including a systematic literature search involving several medical disciplines. The expert group has updated this guideline in accordance with AWMF specifications. For this purpose, a new Medline search was carried out for the current version of the guideline up to June 2022 with additional search terms. The search results were evaluated and further narrowed down by means of abstract screening and, where applicable, evidence-based evaluation of the full texts. Medical guidelines on related topics were also taken into account. The updated guideline is available since October 2023. This is intended to close the existing knowledge gap for rational and efficient medical diagnostics for indoor mold contamination and provides 26 core statements and recommendations, which are presented in detail.