Packing the dive bag for liveaboard

[Turbanator]

When I first borrowed the shop inspo, it had been stored upright with the inflator down and probably half a cup of seawater above and in the Auto Air for a year. Bye bye Auto Air.

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[Timw]

... And our survey says...

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Aspergillosis/

Or in other words, nigh on impossible to catch unless you have underlying chest problems (in which case you should not be diving) or are immuno compromised.

I'm very happy to be proved wrong using actual science and proper references, mind.

That's just an example... and as I said, low probability but high consequence.

There are plenty of other pathogens that will survive or thrive in the same conditions - a squirt of buddy clean or a few ml of trigene in the 4-5 L of water needed and a few minutes contact time is pointless - it won't do anything useful.

I can't really influence the consequence but I can influence the likelihood - it's a bit of basic risk management.

[Darren A]

There was a thread on here, or it may even have been YD, I think posted by someone's sister who ended up in intensive care (and may even have died) as a result of a lung infection caught by breathing from a bcd.

Edit - link is in first few posts in this thread

Sucking Down a BCD or Wing https://www.thediveforum.com/showthread.php?t=21224

[Paulo]

For my counterlungs I rinse the lungs, make up a 500ml bottle of Virkon-S and pour half into each CL and then fill with water and leave set for 20-30mins. Drain and rinse with fresh water and dry as best as possible

Does it kill everything? Who knows

[Tim Digger]

For my counterlungs I rinse the lungs, make up a 500ml bottle of Virkon-S and pour half into each CL and then fill with water and leave set for 20-30mins. Drain and rinse with fresh water and dry as best as possible

Does it kill everything? Who knows

Almost certainly not. But it certainly kills a lot and is very useful risk reduction. There is a lot of work that has been done on disinfection and sterilization. There is a difference, all chemical liquid use in normal concentrations is disinfection, ie vegetative reproducing bugs and viruses are killed WHERE IT COMES INTO CONTACT. Spores and fungi may not be. Sterilization is the death of all living reproducing organisms and will be permanent if properly sealed in a container. Admittedly some infective agents such as CJD will escape death by previously reliable methods. A lot of work was done on methods to adequately clean and disinfect endoscopes, the materials and nooks and crannies are not unlike those in a BCD or RB loop. They cannot be sterilised as the necessary treatments will destroy the device. It was determined that proper cleaning and the removal of biofilm and proteinaceous matter is vital to the success of disinfection. Plus disinfection after and again before use. This is a counsel of perfection that few divers will attain but is certainly what should be done if one was to persist with the out dated training of breathing from a BCD and why most agencies have abandoned it. I do after a trip remove the front cover of my second stage and thoroughly wash the diapham. I believe all divers should be taught to do this (and correctly replace) the diaphragm is a classic spot where biofilm of organisms will form and when dried out crack off in more than significant amounts and potentially be inhaled. Finally although the risks of clinical Aspergillosis are significantly greater in those with chest problems or immunocompromised they do exist even for those with good lungs. Mike Firths sad demise should be a warning to all.