Cross contaminaton

I don't know if this topic has been discussed before (or maybe it's been discussed as part of other topics) but I would like to bring it up again for discussion.

It seems a number of people are adamant about not using any enema equipment (bags, bulbs, nozzles, etc) used by someone else out of fear that they would catch something. Personally, I think that fear is unfounded and unnecessary. The only exception to the possibility of catching something from someone else is if that other person has an intestinal staph or viral (also called "intestinal flue&quot 😉 infection in which case there should be NO body contact with that person until the staph/viral infection is resolved. A note of warning: Staph infections are particularly troublesome in that they can remain dormant on ANY surface for up to 6 months. Following Switchable Susie's recommendations for sterilizing enema equipment (in another topic) is a MUST if the equipment has been used on someone with a staph infection.

In normally healthy individuals, the bacteria we harbor in our intestines are exactly the same. I believe there are over 180 bacteria strains that normally live inside our bodies and we all have them.

For years I have followed various scientific topics on the use of enemas in both adults and children, and there has NEVER been a case discussed where someone had gotten sick from sharing enema equipment contaminated with stool bacteria in normal healthy individuals. On the contrary, there is now a new procedure started in Europe and now being utilized in the U.S. where stool is transplanted from a donor to another individual to correct problems caused by bacteria imbalances. They simply collect fresh stool (poop) from a healthy donor, mix it with water and then inject it into the receiver via colon tube enema. It has proven to be highly successful in resolving certain medical conditions caused by the bacteria imbalance.The bacteria in our intestines have a symbiotic relationship; mainly, good bacteria keeps bad bacteria in check. All of the bacteria we have in our bodies perform useful functions.

I grew up in a large extended southern family where enemas were commonly employed to treat a variety of illnesses. Enema bags could be seen hanging up in just about every bathroom. The equipment was often just hung up to dry without cleaning or rinsing, ready for use on the next person or one of us kids. To my knowledge, no one ever got sick from sharing the equipment. Also, I've had enemas given to me by other enema buddies without more than just a rinsing, if that, and never had a problem. Would I have an issue with using someone else's enema bag? As long as they are healthy and have not had a recent intestinal staph infection, no - I would not have an issue with it. Nor do I have an issue with using my equipment on someone else and then using it on myself aftewards.

So I think the fear of getting sick from using someone else's equipment is more of a paranoia than anything. Again, I'm talking about sharing between HEALTHY users. You have a far greater risk of catching something you didn't have just being a patient in a hospital than you do sharing enema equipment. Keeping equipment clean, however, is important, not only for sharing but for your own health and for keeping equipment usable for many years. Just my thoughts

Comments?

Hi @luvmawater; thanks for your post! There's a lot of good points here, but I did want to make a couple of comments:

In normally healthy individuals, the bacteria we harbor in our intestines are exactly the same.

Not that this contradicts your main point, but there's been a lot of research publicized lately about how much our individual bacteria contents differ from person to person, and how that affecting our health. This is why the fecal transplants you mentioned are a thing; the medical community is using this difference to treat disease.

There's lots of references for this on the Internet; I like this very accessible one from SciShow on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybk7E7SLbWw

Again, I'm talking about sharing between HEALTHY users.

This is true, but it deserves a word of caution: any given person won't necessarily *know* whether or not they're healthy at any given time. This is especially true if the intestinal microbiome ends up having effects that we don't currently understand, but also applies for the diseases we do. For example: it's conceivable that enema nozzles could transmit blood-bourne diseases like HIV and HepC. (The rectum is vulnerable to tears, including micro-tears, which let blood enter the GI tract; this becomes a vector if you're sharing nozzles.)

I definitely do not have any data on the risk of disease transmission on shared enema nozzles. I'd expect it'd be small, especially with basic cleaning in between uses. Still, it's probably not risk-free, so IMO it's worth maintaining separate enema nozzles for different people -- especially between non-fluid-bonded partners. If that's not practical, there's a variety of methods (both chemical and physical) you can use to disinfect nozzles before sharing.

At least in the US, Public water systems are very safe.

The Federal standards that have the force of law are amazingly specific and amazingly strict, and frankly are only going to get tougher and more specific after the Flint Michigan incident!!

I grew up in a time before anyone heard of HIV and the various things we have today. The whole family used the same enema syringe with nothing more than wiping off the Vaseline and rinsing it with clean water.

But I do understand the need for caution today if you are playing with someone other than your spouse or someone you KNOW is clean.

Agreed, luvmawate. Paranoia, probably coupled with a little "trying to impress others with ones superior knowledge" syndrome. Like you, I grew up in a large family that shared frequent enemas from one bulb syringe and one combination bag, and we all turned out just fine.

Wash the nozzle, rinse out the bag, let it dry, and put it away till next time. It's not a big deal.

Having said that, I'd probably shy away from rubbing an unwashed, recently used enema nozzle into an open wound.

There has been, and continues ongoing research that seems to indicate that the body's biome has a much greater influence over health than previously imagined. However, I've seen no scientifically proven results. If I know the person I'm playing with has a very recent screening for STD's, including HIV, HPV, genital herpes and Hep C, then we share equipment with no other precautions. I'm NOT saying we don't clean the nozzle, but we don't use any sterilization other than washing with soap. With a couple of women, we've actually shared the same bag, one taking half, moving the nozzle to the other and finishing the bag in them. Except for occasional mild diarrhea the first time, there have been no health problems. After you've cross contaminated each other, then the intestinal flora (hopefully the is no fauna, LOL) are truly alike. Like Cheryl, I grew up in a time when anything you caught sexually could be cured with a shot of antibiotics. That said, let me hasten to add that even with testing, you are accepting a very small risk that your partner has contracted something that has not yet triggered a test positive.

It seems a number of people are adamant about not using any enema equipment (bags, bulbs, nozzles, etc) used by someone else out of fear that they would catch something. Personally, I think that fear is unfounded and unnecessary.

So I think the fear of getting sick from using someone else's equipment is more of a paranoia than anything. Again, I'm talking about sharing between HEALTHY users. You have a far greater risk of catching something you didn't have just being a patient in a hospital than you do sharing enema equipment. Keeping equipment clean, however, is important, not only for sharing but for your own health and for keeping equipment usable for many years. Just my thoughts

I agree @luvmawater, I think the super-safe-sex people go WAY overboard most of the time. If someone is healthy ( no sickness, HIV, Hep C, etc. ) then I don't see any danger in sharing enema equipment. That (and other sex toys) should be thoroughly washed with soap of course, but buying 2 of everything or sterilizing is unnecessary. I mean, no one sterilizes their hands, mouth, penis, or vagina before having sex! Soap seems to work fine just fine for your own body. and probably just VISITING someone in a hospital is 1000x more dangerous in catching something!

If you want to be perfectly 100% safe, stay in a hazmat suit and a plastic bubble.

Growing up, we had one bag, one nozzle, and a family jar of Vaseline, for everybody. When the enema was done, mom washed the nozzle with soap and put it away for next time. Everybody survived! However, now with our foods inundated with antibiotics, and changes in our lifestyles, perhaps our immune systems aren't as robust as they once were. Everything we do carries some kind of chance of catching something. Do we continue to enjoy life or retreat and live in a bubble?

Since I do my enemas solo, I can't say that I have ever been at risk from catching something from another person using the same equipment. I do have nearly 50 years of enema experience and all I have ever done is wash the nozzles/colon tubes with soap and water and air dry or dry with a towel- I have never sterilized my equipment. I am fortunate that I rarely get sick and I can not think of any instance where I had some kind of intestinal flu or digestive infection. Hot water and soap I think is sufficient in most cases.

Ever since my bowel resection, chemo and radiation, I am prone to an overgrowth of C. Diff., especially when taking broad spectrum antibiotics for respiratory or UTI;s. These A/B's tend to kill off many bowel flora, like Strep fecalis, E. Coli, Proteus, Klebsiella. Only 2 A/B's kill C. Diff: Flagyl and vancomycin. That leaves the C. Diff. to grow unchecked by other bowel flora. I keep my enema equipment for self use only. I don't want to expose my other half to any possible resistant C. Diff. that I may have. She has her own bag, hose , nozzle and colon tube that I NEVER use and she never uses any of my equipment. Once you've had PMC

)pseudomembraenous colitis) you never want to expose anyone else to it. It's a nightmare.

Last year I had a routine colonoscopy.

The next day I woke up with severe cramps

in my colon and I was passing lots of clear mucous and yellow-green puss.

My gastroenterologist had me give a sample

to the blood lab in the hospital where the

colonoscopy was performed. After three days the results of my test had not shown up on my

doctor's computer, so he called the lab.

The lab said: "We forgot to test the sample".

My doc called me and said that I should drive

to the blood lab and resubmit another sample.

After three days the test results from my second

sample had not been transmitted to my doc's

computer. He again called the lab. This time they told him: "We lost the sample".

My doc said I most likely caught C. Diff from

a poorly sanitized colonoscopy scope, and the lab was trying to protect the hospital.

My doc treated me as if I had C. Diff and he put me on Flagyl. It took six months to cure.

Based on this experience, I would recommend

taking every precaution to protect our colons

from alien bacteria.

H2eMale

I wash and clean everything when I'm finished; and have plenty of equipment, so if playing with a buddy nothing has to be shared.

Dan

I wash my syringe bag, hose and nozzle each time they are used. Then they are hung up to dry. I think it will look great and will be ready for my next enema.

My mother enemaed my brother and I with the same bulb. At first she used a one-piece rubber bulb, later followed by a larger one with a black nozzle. She cleaned them after use with boiling water and a terrible smelling disinfectant.

Later only a rubber bag was used. Here, too, the motto was: one for all.

We all survived.

When my siblings and I were growing up, mom used a pumpkin enema bag an adult rectal nozzle, whenever she gave us enemas. We received the enemas laying across our bed together, as mom gave each of us a one-quart enema in turn from her three-quart pumpkin bag with an adult rectal nozzle. The only thing she did in between, was add more Vaseline to the nozzle as she moved from one to next. At our grandmothers, our aunts gave us enemas together at bath time in her big downstairs bathroom. Unlike mom, the girls put us across their lap for enemas. And like mom, they used the same enema bag and nozzle during enemas. Once the enemas were finished, the girls put us in the large walk-in shower and got in with us to keep order. That’s when the girls washed the enema bag and nozzle with soap and water. Then years later, after I got married, my wife and I did enemas together using the same bag and nozzle. And like mom or our aunts, we never washed the bag or nozzle in between using them on each other. We only washed things out once we were finished and standing in the shower. In all the years of doing enemas together, no one in my family ever had an issue with cross contamination.

I'm sure the concern is valid and one should always be smart about 'sharing'.

At home, I got regular enemas using the family equipment. I know my dad did as well (separate events). Everything was cleaned with soap and water between uses.

During visits to my cousins, he and I got enemas together from the same bag/hose/nozzle while lying on his bed. One of us went first and got half the bag, then the other got the rest of the bag with only the nozzle being re-lubed in between. It was of no concern to us, we also drank out of the same soda bottle.