Outbreak of Illnesses Follows Tough Mudder Event in California
Hundreds of participants in a recent Tough Mudder event in Sonoma, California have fallen ill with a range of symptoms, including pustular rashes, lesions, fever, flu-like symptoms, nerve pain, and more. Local health officials and media outlets have reported on the outbreak, which is believed to be caused by various infectious agents, including Staphylococcus bacteria. However, the leading culprit is the relatively obscure Aeromonas bacteria, specifically A. hydrophila, according to the Sonoma County health department. The California Department of Public Health has issued a statewide alert, considering it an Aeromonas outbreak.
The Sonoma County health department estimates that there are around 300 cases involved in the outbreak, while participants of the Tough Mudder event have reported as many as 489 cases in online forums. The event took place at the Sonoma Raceway on August 19 and 20, 2023, with symptoms developing within 12 to 48 hours afterward.
The Tough Mudder event involved extensive skin exposure to mud, according to the Sonoma County health department advisory. They advise participants with a rash, fever, or other symptoms to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The Aeromonas bacteria, particularly A. hydrophila, is robust and infects a wide range of organisms, including humans, animals, birds, fish, and marine reptiles. It can be found in various environments, such as water, soil, mud, fresh produce, meat, and dairy products. In fish, it causes sores, ulcers, and fatal septicemia, leading to substantial economic losses in aquaculture worldwide. In humans, Aeromonas can cause gastroenteritis, traveler’s diarrhea, soft-tissue infections, necrotizing fasciitis, and sepsis.
Although Aeromonas was only identified as a human pathogen in 1968, researchers are still studying its ability to cause infections. The bacteria have an impressive arsenal of virulence factors and are resistant to multiple antibiotics. However, it appears that the bacteria involved in this outbreak are susceptible to several antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
The Tough Mudder event in Sonoma included 21 obstacles, including a crawl under barbed wire, rope climbs over a muddy slope, wading through a knee-deep mud pool, and an obstacle called the “mine shaft” that participants noted smelled like manure. Tough Mudder has stated that they are cooperating with local health officials and actively investigating the outbreak to determine the cause.
As the investigation continues, authorities are urging participants who are experiencing symptoms to seek medical attention promptly.