MRSA and sanitizing equipment!!!

[Hosie]

Hi,

Newbie here and new to CPAP for almost a month. I tried a mask with pillows in the beginning and the inside of one my nostrils felt sore the next morning. I switched to a full nasl mask. I thought the sore was getting better but suddenly started throbbing, aching up to my eye and down to my gums with a little redness even on the outside. No fever though. I went to an ENT and he thinks I have MRSA. He swabbed my nostril and I should have the reults by tomorrow. At the very least he said it was a staph infection, if not MRSA. Advised me to clean my mask in the AM & PM with alcholol. I called my DME to see if alcholol was OK to use and was told no, it would break down the silicone. Advised me to soak all parts in 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts warm water for 20 minutes, then rinse. If I didn't like the smell, I could shake them in a little soapy water using Ivory dish soap and rinse again (using the Ivory is my normal cleansing routine). However, I'm leary that vinegar is just not strong enough to kill MRSA. Has anyone had any experience being on CPAP with MRSA? How did you do your sanitizing? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Hosie

[Mary Z]

Vinegar would sure beat alcohol. Here's hoping it's not MRSA. Though a staph infections would be bad enough. I would invest in one of the commercial cleaners used by sleep labs. I believe they are usually available on line. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Contro ... eaner.html

[stevesgrl98]

To be completely honest Hosie, I have only cleaned my machine once with vingear and water since beginning CPAP therapy. I know I am suppose to clean it weekly, but I dont. I only use distilled water, I never disconnect my hose and when I wake up, I hang my mask on my headboard. I have had sores in my nose but within a couple of days, they get better. Being a newbie myself, are you sure your mask was brand new? The reason I ask is that it took me trying 4 masks before I found the right one. I returned the masks within 30 days to my DME and they gave me a new one to try. My question is, what do they do with the "returned" masks? Do they "clean" them and give them to someone else? If it wasn't new, maybe the staph/MRSA came from the last person who tried the mask and since it is highly contagious, you now are dealing with it.

[M.D.Hosehead]

I don't know whether dilute vinegar would kill MRSA.

Water with chlorox will kill any microorganisms. I don't like the residual smell.

Full strength (3%) hydrogen peroxide will kill any microorganisms; that's my preferred method.

[DreamLady]

A doctor cannot tell just by looking that an infection is MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). That takes a lab culture. Even the garden-variety staph can cause quite serious infections. If he believes it is Staph, did he give you a script for antibiotics? Did he culture the wound and send it to the lab?

I only say this because I've had some quite serious SA infections (I seem to be prone to them) requiring antibiotics, but have never had MRSA. However, my first husband nearly died from it.

Anyway, if he didn't give you a script for antibiotics, you might want to see another doctor!

[Hosie]

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. I'm going to buy some of that sanitizer online, as well as the wipes they have. In the meantime I'll try using the 3% Peroxide. I'm getting my results tomorrow and will let you all know if I have the MRSA strain or not.

Hosie

[DreamLady]

Be sure to rinse the equipment very well as 3% peroxide is also destructive to epithelial cells (they line your nares, and the entire airway).

[Hosie]

A doctor cannot tell just by looking that an infection is MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). That takes a lab culture. Even the garden-variety staph can cause quite serious infections. If he believes it is Staph, did he give you a script for antibiotics? Did he culture the wound and send it to the lab?

I only say this because I've had some quite serious SA infections (I seem to be prone to them) requiring antibiotics, but have never had MRSA. However, my first husband nearly died from it.

Anyway, if he didn't give you a script for antibiotics, you might want to see another doctor!

Oh yes, he did a swab culture, and put me on an antibiotic right away. When I get the results tomorrow, if it's MRSA, he'll have to change the antibiotic, otherwise I'm OK with the one he prescribed for me to take for 10 days.

OMG, that's so awful that you're husband was so ill with it yet so fortunate to recover. I know it's very serious. I understand that some people are carriers of it and walk around with no symptoms at all yet we probably interact with them from time to time and they could transmit it to us.

Thanks,
Hosie

[Muse-Inc]

I spray my silicon and hard plastic with white vinegar after I wash, then let sit for a few mins. Then, I rinse very, very well to remove all scent of vinegar. Doing that daily with a cold and an off & on bloody nostril. We spray vinegar to disinfect countertops & equipment in the kitchen.

[chunkyfrog]

My brother uses alcohol--he says there are no bad effects.

[brazospearl]

Hosie, sorry to hear you're in this situation. That truly stinks. Staph infections (even if they aren't MRSA) can be tremendously difficult to eradicate. Many people carry the germ and are asymptomatic until something triggers it, so there might not be a way to tell how or where you picked it up. I'm usually standing firmly in the "less cleaning is better" camp when it comes to cpap equipment, but with an infection like this you need to clean everything EVERY DAY. Not just your cpap equipment, either, but your counters and toothbrushes...everything. I knew a couple who fought staph infections for months before they figured out the germs were in their recliners where they sat every evening watching tv. Be careful, and take care of yourself and your family.

[SleepyT]

Thank you all very much for your suggestions. I'm going to buy some of that sanitizer online, as well as the wipes they have. In the meantime I'll try using the 3% Peroxide. I'm getting my results tomorrow and will let you all know if I have the MRSA strain or not.

Hosie

I bought the Control III disinfectant at cpap.com. Kills all manner of germs....and is cheaper than vinegar over time.

[Banned]

Advised me to clean my mask in the AM & PM with alcholol. I called my DME to see if alcholol was OK to use and was told no, it would break down the silicone.

Your DME is an idiot. And anyone who does not not use alchol to clean the silicon in thier mask is wasting ALLOT of time and effort. I have been using 70% Alcohol Prep Pads to clean the silicon in my Quattro everyday for the past 2 years. Same mask, same silicon. No problems. If you are using a comfort gel mask, that may be another story.

[billbolton]

How did you do your sanitizing?

For your mask seal, soap and warm water everyday is all that is clinically necessary.

Cheers,

Bill