Just watching TUF.. One of the fighters was kicked off the show because it was determined he has some kind of herpes that could, according to one of their doctors be transmitted through training..
I was not aware this could happen from sport oriented physical contact.. What steps can folks who run training groups take to detect and protect other students from this? And are there any other things folks should be aware of or watch for when allowing in new students or even that might happen to existing students?
Herpes Simplex not dojo safe...
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JimHawkins
- Posts: 2101
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:21 am
- Location: NYC
Herpes Simplex not dojo safe...
Shaolin
M Y V T K F
"Receive what comes, stay with what goes, upon loss of contact attack the line" – The Kuen Kuit
M Y V T K F
"Receive what comes, stay with what goes, upon loss of contact attack the line" – The Kuen Kuit
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Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Jim
This isn't so much of a problem with striking. But ALL grappling arts have problems with myriad skin issues. There's herpes, lice, scabies, impetigo, cauliflower ear, staph, etc., etc.
The problem with the various herpes bugs is that they are incurable. You can keep them at bay with acyclovir. Most people have some kind of herpes bug in them. (Chicken pox is herpes zoster.) Some are worse than others.
Near-sterile conditions and extra vigilance are key. Nobody should be training with open lesions of any kind.
We once had issues with lice when I was teaching at UVa. The little buggers had gotten into the carpet in the weight room. I made the gym management shut the gym down and fumigate. At first I was given hell and they asked for names. I told them where to go, and insisted they follow through. One call to the varsity athletic department made them find religion on the matter.
- Bill
This isn't so much of a problem with striking. But ALL grappling arts have problems with myriad skin issues. There's herpes, lice, scabies, impetigo, cauliflower ear, staph, etc., etc.
The problem with the various herpes bugs is that they are incurable. You can keep them at bay with acyclovir. Most people have some kind of herpes bug in them. (Chicken pox is herpes zoster.) Some are worse than others.
Near-sterile conditions and extra vigilance are key. Nobody should be training with open lesions of any kind.
We once had issues with lice when I was teaching at UVa. The little buggers had gotten into the carpet in the weight room. I made the gym management shut the gym down and fumigate. At first I was given hell and they asked for names. I told them where to go, and insisted they follow through. One call to the varsity athletic department made them find religion on the matter.
- Bill
Actually, HSV 1 is now less common due to improved hygiene in childhood. I think the last I saw was about 60%. HSV2, "genital herpes," is found in about 1/4-1/5 college aged people. The declining rate of HSV1 matters because the antibodies cross react. HSV2 is milder once you've had HSV1, so people without 1 can have worse 2. More importantly, these HSV1 free young adults are entering a culture in which oral sex is common and can now acquire HSV1 on their genitals. It is more common than 2 in some places. Bummer that pharma didn't forsee this because it has obvious implications for a genital herpes vaccine that only covers 2. At least 1 recurs a little less.
Knowing you have HSV is tricky. As few as 10% of HSV2 (+) people know it; the rest have no symptoms or don't realize they're herpes. They can still pass it. Even a doctor can't tell you by exam. there are type specific serologies for herpes which can differentiate them, however, many commerical tests aren't reliable at distinguishing them because, as above, the antibodies cross react. You don't know you don't have herpes unless you've had GOOD quality blood work to determine this--and "geting tested" rarely includes that.
Remember the first rule of dermatology: if you don;t know what it is, don't touch it; if you do know what it is, you don't need to touch it.
Knowing you have HSV is tricky. As few as 10% of HSV2 (+) people know it; the rest have no symptoms or don't realize they're herpes. They can still pass it. Even a doctor can't tell you by exam. there are type specific serologies for herpes which can differentiate them, however, many commerical tests aren't reliable at distinguishing them because, as above, the antibodies cross react. You don't know you don't have herpes unless you've had GOOD quality blood work to determine this--and "geting tested" rarely includes that.
Remember the first rule of dermatology: if you don;t know what it is, don't touch it; if you do know what it is, you don't need to touch it.
--Ian
