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MRSA & Public Play - 6/9/2008 12:27:19 PM

velvetears

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MRSA has been on my mind lately because those around me have been affected by it and this disease can be deadly. my brother had to have his artificial hip taken out as it affected his hip as well as a valve in his heart and a spot on his spine. He is on IV vancomycin at home after being in the hospital for 2 months and he will be on it till the end of July till he is reevaluated. my dad as well has MRSA from a catheter he had in which caused an infection - both were in the same hospital (my dad only a short time). It has been reported in schools in my area. They gave us a notice first day of school that the school had Community MRSA and gave us information on how protect oneself. One of the ways it is spread is through using towels in the gym that might have been used an not washed. Sitting on a spot where someone else sat that had a MRSA leasion on their skin and it can spread to you that way etc.

My question to everyone who reads this post. If MRSA is problematic and extremely difficult to treat (vancomycin is the last resort antibiotic with many detrimental side effects like deafness and blindness, especially in children) how safe is it to use a play space or public dungeon knowing others had just been on there, many times naked or half naked with all kinds of sweat dripping and body fluids leaking onto the surfaces being used?

i don't want to become "Monk" over getting germs and fearing disease but it's affected me personally on 3 levels and i wonder how others feel about this, what you know about it, what precautions you take if you do play publicly etc.

my brother needs an open heart operation to repair his damaged valve as well as back surgery now. They are hoping it doesn't spread to his brain. This is serious stuff.

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RE: MRSA & Public Play - 6/9/2008 12:34:24 PM

Alumbrado

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This gets brought up in Health and Safety every so often, but basically if you are in a public play space that doesn't take precautions like bleach and alcohol between players, I would indeed worry.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html#8

How can I prevent staph or MRSA skin infections?
Practice good hygiene:

Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or bandages.
Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.

Can I get a staph or MRSA infection at my health club?
In the outbreaks of MRSA, the environment has not played a significant role in the transmission of MRSA. MRSA is transmitted most frequently by direct skin-to-skin contact. You can protect yourself from infections by practicing good hygiene (e.g., keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub and showering after working out); covering any open skin area such as abrasions or cuts with a clean dry bandage; avoiding sharing personal items such as towels or razors; using a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment; and wiping surfaces of equipment before and after use.

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RE: MRSA & Public Play - 6/9/2008 12:45:44 PM

PanthersMom

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yes it is serious stuff. "vanc" is hell on blood vessels too, i can only have a couple infusions by IV before it weakens the vein so badly it has to be replaced elsewhere. two weeks ago i spent four days in the hospital. i've had two PICC lines in the last year for at home infusions so i know what your brother is going through. it's no fun. i lost three toes on my right foot and i'm hoping to beat this latest infection in my left foot or i'm going to end up losing the whole thing. once it gets into your body the staph infection can go dormant, but the nasty bugger never seems to leave. all it takes is the right conditions and it rears its ugly head again.

i'd suggest carrying antibacterial wipes if you're concerned. also, ask the dungeon master about your concerns. it might be something they haven't considered, or only address when someone raises an issue. you shouldn't be afraid to protect yourself by wiping down equipment prior to and after use. you don't leave the gym equipment in a nasty condition for the next person, so i would think the same would apply to play spaces and dungeon facilities.
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RE: MRSA & Public Play - 6/9/2008 5:23:45 PM

Archer

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It has become standard procedure for us to clean the equipment BEFORE as well as AFTER we play on furniture in a public space.

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RE: MRSA & Public Play - 6/9/2008 6:35:51 PM

Madame4a

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Joined: 2/4/2008
From: Washington, DC area
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You take risks when you play publically... and MRSA is just one of them... personally, my boi cleans equipment before we play and again after we play... I never play in a public dungeon without cleaning the equipment before and after...

you can't completely eliminate risks, but you can do some things to lower them

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RE: MRSA & Public Play - 6/9/2008 7:45:40 PM

pahunkboy