Twenty two people who participated in a 2012 muddy, long distance, obstacle adventure race or “mudder” in Nevada contracted Campylobacter infections, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The race was held in a rural setting where, health officials say, manure from farm animals may have contaminated the mud into which participants often fell face first.
Some who participated in the race, held October 6-7, were active duty military members. Between October 10 a-12 , three of them sought emergency care for symptoms including bloody diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain and fever. Nineteen other patients, military and civilian, were them identified. All but two of those sickened sought medical care. One person was hospitalized.
Although all 22 patients in this outbreak made a full recovery, in rare cases Campylobacter infections can trigger a serious condition called Guillain-Barré Syndrome. This condition causes muscle weakness that can lead to paralysis.
About 1.5 million people participated in obstacle adventure races in 2012. A component of these races, which are usually held in rural areas, is slogging through man-made slurry fields. These areas are created by mixing topsoil or clay with water. Competitors who run, swim or fall in the mud might unintentionally swallow some. It takes fewer than 500 microscopic Campylobacter bacteria to make someone sick.
