High School Sports

h.s. wrestling

February 7, 2009

Plan of attack key to mat herpes prevention

Mat care, personal hygiene key to preventing infections, which have hit D1 this winter.

By Dave Rosengrant drosengrant@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter

Everyone knows that wrestling is a very physical sport.

With the tosses, maneuvers and holds that go with the game, comes skin-to-skin contact with an opponent, which increases the risk of infection.

Several types of epidemics have been well-documented in the past without close ties to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The latest outbreak, however, is very close to home. Five schools out of Chester and Montgomery counties postponed their programs because of numerous cases of herpes gladiatorum, the technical name for mat herpes.

Earlier this week, Ches-Mont League officials recommended that schools suspend any intra-league wrestling competition, but the decision on whether to practice or take part in meets or tournaments would be up to coaches and administration.

Great Valley, a participant in the Ches-Mont League, reported the first case of the virus last month. The school immediately stopped wrestling and has not stepped on the mat since Jan. 21. GV even missed the District 1 Class 3A Duals Tournament after earning the No. 3 seed.

Had the Patriots participated in the tournament and finished third as projected, they would have faced Hazleton Area a few days ago in the pigtail round of the PIAA Duals Championships.

That didn’t happen so the Cougars weren’t at risk, but it’s still a distinct possibility that any wrestler could come down with an infection if certain precautions are ignored.

Mat care, personal hygiene and direct contact with an infected individual are the three major ways to contract mat herpes. The infection is not life-threatening, although immediate medical assistance is recommended. Once infected, lesions appear within eight days after exposure to an infected individual. Before their appearance, some people may experience a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes or tingling of the skin. The sores then show up as a cluster of blisters and can appear on the face, arms, legs or midsection.

“Everyone has their ringworm incident and other (infections) that have been around for years, unfortunately it’s a part of the sport,” Crestwood coach Darren Testa said. “You just have to clean your headgear and clothes and let the coaches and trainers know if you do have any marks. Unfortunately though, sometimes you tell the kids that and things still happen.”

Once diagnosed with mat herpes, wrestlers who were infected in District 1 weren’t allowed to practice for eight days and can’t resume activities until being cleared by a physician. An infected wrestler must be cleared by a doctor by the time the postseason begins to be eligible to compete.

That should help ease the stress level of several parents and coaches in the area worrying about an athlete picking up a strange infection with postseason tournaments around the corner. Area athletes will see competition from all over the state beginning Feb. 27-28 at the Northeast Regional Tournament and concluding with the PIAA Championships March 5-7 in Hershey

“It’s just one of those things that as coaches you’re taking the precautions and hoping that if someone has (mat herpes), ringworm – or another disorder that has popped up throughout the course of the years – you give it time to heal,” said Testa, who coaches one of District 2’s favorites to claim a state medal in 145-pounder Jake O’Hara.

“The PIAA has done a pretty good job with skin evaluations and things like that over the years. So it’s one of those things where you can’t worry about others and just have to hope (other coaches and trainers) are doing their jobs. At that point, you just go out and wrestle. Coaches are there for the benefit of the kids and you hope that no one is going to put anyone in harm’s way either. ”

Testa, who has been coaching for 12 years and is part of a tradition-rich wrestling family, added that the problem isn’t just in District 1. It’s been all over the state.

As for District 2 competitions, every precaution is taken before duals or tournaments. The mats will be disinfected before each day of the individual tournaments and before the final rounds of each event.

Disinfecting a mat is an intricate procedure. Although the virus doesn’t live too long on surfaces, you might contract it that way if the mat has been in use by others who have the virus. Fitness clubs and karate rooms also have been known to be infested with the virus.

“That should be standard operating procedure in this day and age that (the mats) are cleaned daily in the wrestling room and before any competition takes place,” said Tom Williams, a District 2 representative and official. “Especially in this day and age with MRSA (methicillian resistant staphylococcus aureus) and other skin conditions.”

Schools that suspended play in the Ches-Mont League will resume wrestling in live competition on Monday to prepare for the District 1 Section VI Tournament.

The District 2 tournaments will be held Feb. 20-21 at Hazleton Area (Class 3A) and Lake-Lehman (Class 2A).

Common Infections

The recent outbreak of herpes gladiatorum (mat herpes) in Chester and Montgomery counties has caught the attention of many fans and athletes around the state.

As always, proper hygiene and keeping equipment and workout clothes disinfected are ways to prevent the spread of infections.

Here’s a look at some of the most common infections picked up throughout the years during the wrestling season:

Ringworm: The most common, it is known as tinea corporis. It is a highly contagious infection that appears in a circular form on several parts of the body, including under fingernails.

Staphylococcus (staph) infections: This type of contamination is not confined to just wrestling rooms and mats. Several cases around the U.S. have been reported in athletes of all sports. It appears as an ant bite but quickly progresses into a brutal boil. One of the most treated types of staph infections recently is methicillian resistant staphylococcus aureus, otherwise known as MRSA. The worst cases of MRSA can require hospitalization.

Impetigo: This infection is obtained through cuts and scrapes and starts out resembling a burn that develops into a blister. There are two types of impetigo – bullous and the more frequently treated nonbullous.

Herpes gladiatorum: Also known as mat herpes, the epidemic appears as a lesion within eight days after exposure. The virus can hide out in the nerves and come back at a later time.

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