Please don't eat the mud!

Finbar Saunders

Or at least try not to swallow.

Campylobacteriosis outbreak associated with ingestion of mud during a mountain bike race.

Epidemiol Infect. 2010 Mar 25:1-9. [Epub ahead of print]
Stuart TL, Sandhu J, Stirling R, Corder J, Ellis A, Misa P, Goh S, Wong B, Martiquet P, Hoang L, Galanis E.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20334726

SUMMARY One of the largest reported campylobacteriosis outbreaks in Canada occurred in June 2007 in British Columbia, associated with a mountain bike race that took place in muddy conditions. A retrospective cohort study was conducted and environmental samples were collected and tested. There were 537 racers included in the study and 225 racers (42%) reported diarrhoeal illness after the race. C. jejuni clinical isolates (n=14) were found to be identical by multi-locus sequence typing. Although univariate analysis suggested water consumption and mud exposure as significant risk factors, multivariate analysis revealed that on direct ingestion mud was significantly associated with illness (OR 4.08, 95% CI 2.03-8.21). Contaminated mud was thus the most likely source of Campylobacter infection. We identified other unpublished reports of outbreaks associated with bike races in rainy or muddy conditions; these underscore the importance of educating racers and raising public awareness of the risks of mud ingestion.

ExeterSimon

There was a race here last year that resulted in loads of people getting D&V.

Turns out it was sheep crap that caused the problems.

sparrowlegs78

Mud guard up to avoid sheep crap in the gob, worked in Derbyshire for me, sheep craparama there the other week 8)
Caz xx

specializedone

So that's what it was!

I had a severe stomach upset (no vomiting) after the v.wet Gorrick Cool ride last November - knoocked me out for about a week and then in my weakened state I caught another bug that wrote off December.

We were riding ankle deep through farmyard muddy water at times and it was just impossible to keep a clean face.

A t first I put it down to an overdose of fructose/ energy drinks etc but dodgy water spray is more likely.

Oh well - I'll wear a snorkel on the next one.

fastercyclist

I wonder how much of it was due to water/mud getting onto water bottles rather then in the face mud.

Where are my stabilisers?

Prob true about the water bottles.

I did my best to keep my mouth shut whilst passing a cattle farm today.... water full of cow poop spraying in to my face off the front wheel... maybe it's time to buy a mud guard :shock:

Briggo

Can I eat the yellow snow then?