Introduction:
Individuals involved in sports are more physically active than nonsports individuals. It is well-known that sports people tend to get injuries more frequently. However, the fact is that apart from injuries, they are prone to several infections as well. Sports players play in different environments under different circumstances, which affects their immune systems. A sportsperson's infection can easily spread to others as they are always surrounded by groups of people (team members) or communities. Also, they can contract infections frequently for the same reason. Sometimes, they can also be the carrier of infection. Direct contact, fecal or oral routes, common source exposure, and airborne or droplet exposure are the most common methods of transmission of infectious diseases in sports.
Why Does a Sports Person Get Infection?
Several factors lead to infections in sports players. The primary factor is the association between immunity and sports. Sports need strenuous physical activities. Researchers believe mild-to-moderate physical activities or exercise are good for health. However, strenuous physical activities can temporarily suppress the immune system.
According to the theories on the effect of exercise on immunity, prolonged strenuous activities like marathons can inhibit the immune system for a while and increase the risk of upper respiratory infection and even cancerous lesions. These theories state that intense activity (that a sportsperson has to do frequently), the immune system is inhibited (immunocompromised state) for at least a few hours, and this period creates an "open window" where the risk of contracting infection increases.
In addition, some theories say that high-intensity sports can impair the body's infection-fighting cells (white blood cells such as neutrophils, basophils, and lymphocytes). It is believed that immunity-related factors like CD4 to CD8 ratio and immunoglobulin-like Ig A decrease with strenuous sports activities.
Strenuous activities can also impact the respiratory tract's filtering mechanism. The use of high-flow air and switching from nose-to-mouth breathing causes increasing cooling and drying of the respiratory tract mucous. Due to this, ciliated cell motility is reduced, mucosal viscosity is increased, and the upper respiratory tract's ability to filter out pathogens is subsequently compromised. The pathogens use this window of opportunity and cause infections easily in sports people.
What Are Common Sport Infections?
Many infections, including bacterial, fungal, and viral that, can easily infect a sportsperson. The common sports infections are discussed below.
1. Upper Respiratory Infections: Upper respiratory tract infections like the common cold, flu, sinusitis, bronchitis, etc., are the most common infections. Contracting upper respiratory tract infections four times a year is considered normal. However, in the case of a sportsperson, the frequency of contracting these infections increases highly as these infections are transmitted through respiratory droplets and coming in close contact with the infected person, which is hard to avoid in sports. Sports that require close contact with the opponent, like wrestling, contribute to the spread of upper respiratory tract infections. On the other hand, sports like swimming may predispose the swimmer to infections like sinusitis, otitis (ear infections), and conjunctivitis (eye infection).
2. Skin Infections: Skin infections are also frequently seen in sportspersons. They could be bacterial, viral, or fungal. The chance of getting this infection is increased by contact. Wrestlers, football, rugby, and judo players are all at risk for skin infections. This is because these athletes have extensive skin-to-skin contact, perspiring heavily, skin abrasions, and tight clothes. All these infections are discussed below.
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Bacterial Skin Infections: These include diseases like impetigo, folliculitis, and MRSA.
-Impetigo: It is primarily caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus. It usually starts with the formation of red lesions around the nose and mouth that rupture and create crusts.
-MRSA Infections: MRSA is an infection caused by MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) bacteria, resistant to some antibiotics. The symptoms of these infections include redness, warmth (the area is warm to the touch), swelling, pus, and discomfort at the locations of the individual's sores, abrasions, or cuts.
-Folliculitis: Infection and inflammation of hair follicles is called folliculitis. This is most commonly caused by S. aureus. Any area of the body with hair on the skin, including the head, neck, trunk, buttocks, and extremities, may develop this infection.
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Viral Skin Infections:
-HSV (Herpes Simplex Infection): The most prevalent skin infection among athletes is HSV, particularly in wrestlers (herpes gladiatorum) and rugby players (herpes rugbiorum). Sports involving contact, such as wrestling, rugby, basketball, and football, are the common channels for spreading the virus. Fever, lethargy, and painful sores in the mouth or genitalia are the predominant symptoms of primary HSV infection. Because of the frequent contact in sports, lesions are common on the head and face.
-Molluscum Contagiosum: This viral infection results in benign, raised lumps or lesions on the skin's upper layers.
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Fungal Skin Infections:
-Athlete's Foot or Tinea Pedis: It affects many athletes because it develops in dark, humid, and warm conditions. Predisposing causes include sweaty feet, restricted shoes, and not drying one's feet after swimming or bathing. Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum are the organisms that cause tinea pedis. The lesions appear as peels, cracks, and scales on the skin between the toes.
-Fungal Infections of Nail: Tinea corporis, also known as tinea corporis gladiatorum, is a common fungal infection that affects wrestlers and other athletes in close proximity to one another. The most prevalent microorganisms that cause fungal infection of the nail in a sportsperson are Microsporum canis, trichophyton rubrum, and tonsurans. They cause symptoms like scaling, crumbling, thickening, and partial nail loss.
3. Blood-Borne Infectious Diseases in Athletes: There is a theoretical risk of blood-borne infections being spread during sporting activities from an infected athlete's bleeding wounds or exudative skin injury to the injured skin or mucous membrane of other athletes. This risk is usually regarded as extremely low. Because of the increased risk of bleeding injuries and extended close body contact, this risk may be higher in contact and collision sports, particularly wrestling, boxing, and taekwondo. Additionally, basketball, field hockey, ice hockey, judo, soccer, and team handball players are at a moderate risk, while those who engage in sports with little physical contact, such as baseball, gymnastics, and tennis, are at the lowest risk. In literatures, the risk of transmission of two blood-born infections (hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus) has been explained.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) say that except for boxing, the chance of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection transmission during sports is low, with less than one possible transmission per million games. In addition, no confirmed cases have been reported where HIV was transmitted during sports. It is important to note that normal body contact, such as touching and sharing sports equipment, using facilities such as locker rooms or bathrooms, or coming into contact with contaminated surfaces such as wrestling mats or toilet seats, cannot spread HIV.
Furthermore, HBV (hepatitis B virus) is more stable in the environment and has a greater concentration in blood than HIV. HBV transmission risk is therefore 50 to100 times greater than HIV transmission risk. HBV can remain stable on environmental surfaces for at least seven days and is impervious to drying, ambient temperatures, basic detergents, and alcohol. As a result, HBV transmission can occur through inanimate things such as environmental surfaces. Therefore, compared to other blood-borne infections, the risk of HBV transmission in sports is presumably higher.
Conclusion:
Many infections spread during sports. Hence it is wise that sportspersons are careful about these and pay attention to preventive measures like hand hygiene, proper vaccinations, good nutrition, and avoiding strenuous exercise for a prolonged time.
