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Diseases from a used machine
#1
Cool 
Diseases from a used machine
From time to time I consider picking up a used machine on Craigslist and every now and then I see one at a garage sale.

Does anybody know if it's possible to pick up an infection from a machine, if it's used with a new hose and mask?

I'd hate to save a few hundred $ and end up with lung-rot. Cool

Any ideas?
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#2
RE: Diseases from a used machine
Highly unlikely as long as you use new tubing, mask, etc. Take a look at the filter on it, if it's horrific looking I'd probably walk away due to lack of maintenance. Also, I'd make sure smoke free home.
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#3
RE: Diseases from a used machine
A CPAP machine is a dry blower with filters. Change the filters, and there is nothing there to support infectious microbes, and very unlikely that it can be contaminated. Exhaled air does not reach the machine. Be sure to get a machine from a non-smoking environment, because the odor does stay in the plastics.

I have two used machines. The PRS1 Auto 560 belonged to a deceased man that used it less than 120 hours. The second BiPAP was from an overweight woman that was noncompliant (clearly needed it) and finally sold it after 3 years of the machine sitting in her closet. Try not to dwell on the history, and it won't affect you. I used Ozium spray to remove odors and disinfect, then aired out the machines. No problems.

Edit to add, I discard any used hoses or masks.
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#4
RE: Diseases from a used machine
Most of the really nasty germs will die pretty quickly in a clean, dry environment. This is especially true for the germs that are likely to become airborne. If it makes you feel better, make sure it's been sitting unused for a week or so. Ask the seller (if you believe them) when it was last used

If it's a data capable machine, it will probably still have the old data on the machine and you can see when it was last used with SleepyHead. You'll probably find it's sat for weeks or months unused.

Turn it on and let it blast air for a while when you first get it to blow dust and whatever out of the machine.

Control III disinfectant is probably good enough for cleaning the mask and hose. Read the directions and dilute it properly. There are some manufacturer instructions in my Useful Links at the bottom of this post for hose, mask, and water tank sanitizing.

I guess it's possible, but it doesn't seem likely. You're exposed to other people's freshly exhaled breath whenever you go out in public. You're exposed by contact with doorknobs, sinks, etc. all the time. Other than sharing the mask and maybe the hose, CPAP doesn't seem that likely to be a problem.

You might consider a new tank, or use one of the disinfection procedures, like boiling water. S9 standard tanks will melt, but the dishwashable tanks are OK. All the Respironics tanks seem to be OK, but don't try it unless you have a spare tank or are willing to risk having to buy it.

Realize that even full boiling doesn't kill all germs, but gets a large percentage of the nasty ones.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#5
RE: Diseases from a used machine
I remember one time taking a friends computer out to his clean shop to blow the dust out of it with a compressed air hose. It was way dustier than I thought it would be, and I breathed in some dust. The next day I got so sick from a virus I know was in that computer. I was really sick for at least 3 weeks...

So they are moist, and will still pick up dust and other germs. I personally do not like the idea, but I would still buy one, take it apart, blow it out, wipe everything I could with 99% isopropyl alcohol and hold my breath.
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#6
RE: Diseases from a used machine
(04-08-2015, 01:32 AM)player Wrote: I remember one time taking a friends computer out to his clean shop to blow the dust out of it with a compressed air hose. It was way dustier than I thought it would be, and I breathed in some dust. The next day I got so sick from a virus I know was in that computer. I was really sick for at least 3 weeks...

So they are moist, and will still pick up dust and other germs. I personally do not like the idea, but I would still buy one, take it apart, blow it out, wipe everything I could with 99% isopropyl alcohol and hold my breath.

If you want to avoid computer viruses, get NOD32 or maybe McAfee or Kapersky AV before blowing out the PC case...

On to CPAPs. They are only "moist" from the humidifier box, to the tube, to the mask.

They are one way only blowers, picking up filtered air on one end and moving it through to the point where it goes into the humidifier box and then on to the nose. Not from the nose into the blower. And if you think about it, any air you breathe has already been inside somebody else anyway.

I don't believe that hospitals and sleep centers take apart, blow out, wipe everything with alcohol and then reassemble titration units between pts. Masks and tubes probably, and probably wipe off the exterior surfaces, but the blower itself probably not.

I would however avoid used units that had been run in a smoky environment, or ones that exhibited lack of maintenance (missing filter (visible dirt in the intake tube), heavily soiled filter, dirty machine that showed lack of cleaning or one that was encrusted with whatever (snot, dog slobber, sneeze slime), one that shows accretion of anything in the humidifier tank **may** be indicative of lax maintenance (not necessarily, but may be one factor to consider in the overall evaluation). I always replace the humidifier tank, tube mask and filters on any used machine. Just throw those things away and don't even think about it.

If, however, the worry over contamination is an issue, it may be worth the peace of mind to go get a factory new machine if that's what it takes. As Jimmy the H says, "Everyone must find their own salvation"

OMMOHY
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#7
RE: Diseases from a used machine
(04-08-2015, 01:32 AM)player Wrote: I remember one time taking a friends computer out to his clean shop to blow the dust out of it with a compressed air hose. It was way dustier than I thought it would be, and I breathed in some dust. The next day I got so sick from a virus I know was in that computer. I was really sick for at least 3 weeks...

Just because some event happened before another event does not mean that the first event caused the second. Viruses usually take a lot more than a day to grow in your body to the point where the infection becomes obvious.

So forgive me if I don't believe what happened gives you any good reason to "know" that the virus came from the computer. Given the short interval between the two events I think it far more likely that you already had the virus growing inside you well before the incident with the computer.


Ed Seedhouse
VA7SDH

Part cow since February 2018.

Trust your mind less and your brain more.


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#8
RE: Diseases from a used machine
There will be bacteria in filter of CPAP. This bacteria may infect respiratory part. There will be tens and hundreds of bacteria colonies in filter. Cleaning thoroughly will remove bacteria but it is not recommended to use used machine.
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#9
RE: Diseases from a used machine
(04-08-2015, 12:31 PM)eseedhouse Wrote:
(04-08-2015, 01:32 AM)player Wrote: I remember one time taking a friends computer out to his clean shop to blow the dust out of it with a compressed air hose. It was way dustier than I thought it would be, and I breathed in some dust. The next day I got so sick from a virus I know was in that computer. I was really sick for at least 3 weeks...

Just because some event happened before another event does not mean that the first event caused the second. Viruses usually take a lot more than a day to grow in your body to the point where the infection becomes obvious.

So forgive me if I don't believe what happened gives you any good reason to "know" that the virus came from the computer. Given the short interval between the two events I think it far more likely that you already had the virus growing inside you well before the incident with the computer.

I am not sure if it was the next day, but that computer dust gave me a bad flu. I did not have an alien growing inside of me. It was the computer.
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#10
RE: Diseases from a used machine
(04-17-2015, 03:48 AM)Krish Wrote: There will be bacteria in filter of CPAP. This bacteria may infect respiratory part. There will be tens and hundreds of bacteria colonies in filter. Cleaning thoroughly will remove bacteria but it is not recommended to use used machine.

The manufacturers say it's OK to reuse a used CPAP machine. There is no process to clean the inside of the CPAP machine, not even in the service centers. Hospitals and sleep centers reuse CPAP machines without any internal cleaning.

Remember that air flows mostly from the CPAP machine to the mask, not the other way around.

Yes, you should sanitize or replace the hose, the mask, and the water tank. Replace the filters, too, since that is easy.

There are links to manufacturer's sanitizing processes in the Userful Links in my signature line at the bottom of this post.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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