gamecocks Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Wrestling suspended after herpes outbreakAssociated Press MINNEAPOLIS -- High school wrestling was suspended Tuesday across the state because of a widespread outbreak of a skin infection. Minnesota herpes outbreak at a glance The problem: At least 24 Minnesota high school wrestlers have contracted herpes gladiatorum, a virus spread by skin-to-skin contact. The symptoms include lesions on the face, head and neck. The reaction: The Minnesota State High School League banned competitions and direct contact between wrestlers in practice until Feb. 6. The hope: The league wants to contain the current outbreak, allow time to diagnose new cases and prevent disqualifications at the state tournament, Feb. 28-March 3. -- The Associated Press The Minnesota State High School League said 24 cases of herpes gladiatorum have been reported by 10 teams. The virus is spread by skin-to-skin contact. Symptoms have included lesions on the face, head and neck of wrestlers. The league banned competitions and direct contact between wrestlers in practice until Feb. 6. The suspension is meant to control the current outbreak, allow time to diagnose new cases and prevent disqualifications at the state tournament, scheduled for Feb. 28-March 3. The Minnesota Department of Health has been tracking the virus, caused by herpes simplex type 1, the same strain that causes cold sores. Officials first became aware of the outbreak at a tournament held in Rochester in late December. Scot Davis, who coaches wrestling at Owatonna High School, has been involved in wrestling in Minnesota for more than 40 years and says he can't remember the league completely shutting down. Davis' team, which gets doctor checkups several times a week, competed at the Rochester tournament where the outbreak was first detected, yet none of his wrestlers has been infected. He applauds the suspension. South Dakota on herpes alert PIERRE, S.D. -- High school wrestling teams should be watching for a skin infection that has forced a one-week suspension of the prep wrestling season in Minnesota, the South Dakota High School Activities Association said Tuesday. There have been no reports of herpes gladitorium in South Dakota, but some South Dakota teams have competed against Minnesota teams, the SDHSAA said. Any South Dakota wrestler showing signs of skin lesions should be removed from any contact and be seen by a doctor immediately, the SDHSAA said. -- The Associated Press "I think it's a bold step," he said. "How else are you going to get this thing cleared up? How do I explain to a mom that her kid has herpes forever?" Steve Larsen, wrestling coach at Century High School in Rochester, said his team will miss three competitions because of the eight-day suspension. "It's going to make scheduling interesting," he said. "I hope some of it will get rescheduled." The Century team has had no skin problems this year, Larsen said. But in the past, when a few of his wrestlers came down with ringworm, his team was suspended from practice and competition as a precaution. Infected wrestlers have to sit out matches and get cleared by doctors before they can resume wrestling, he said. Dr. B.J. Anderson, a former wrestler who acts as a health adviser to the high school league, blames the outbreak on doctors who have been misdiagnosing and inappropriately treating the viral infections as bacterial ones. "[Doctors] are not doing the right tests," he said. Anderson said the greatest concern is an infection of the eye, which can, in rare cases, lead to scarring or blindness. The virus can remain in a body indefinitely, he said. A similar outbreak occurred in 1999, affecting 63 wrestlers and disqualifying several of them from the state tournament, Anderson said. Dr. Henry Balfour, a national expert on herpes who works in the department of virology at the University of Minnesota, said wrestlers are at a higher risk for this sort of infection than other people because of the nature of the sport. "Usually you have to have damage to the skin," he said. "If there is a break in the skin, ... then the virus could take and cause a skin infection." Balfour said the virus is not fatal but is a detrimental nuisance that can recur. Such outbreaks are common in the wrestling world, frequently occurring at summer camps, he said. Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press Quote Link to comment
AR Husker Fan Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Yet another example of why there is something wrong with a sport that has you holding another guy in a tight, sweaty embrace... Quote Link to comment
admo Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 So.... still no word about the reach-arounds then? Quote Link to comment
Drowning_in_the_Sea_of_Red Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I guess that means no more tea-bagging. Quote Link to comment
husker rob Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 wow is all i can say about that. now do you know what the difference between Minnesota and Canada is? in Canada, Moosehead is a beer. in Minnesota it is a misdomeanor Quote Link to comment
Drowning_in_the_Sea_of_Red Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 So it looks like the source has been indentified as a wrestler from Nebraska...... Uh-Oh Quote Link to comment
BIGREDIOWAN Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 This is why I never wrestled in high school.............oh and the whole ball tight uniform as well!!!! Something about the possibility of a guys sack rubbing up against my leg or even face just turns me off to wrestling!!! Quote Link to comment
rawhide Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 just had a little emetic episode in my mouth (i puked ya freakin' wacks) Quote Link to comment
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