Herpes haults prep wrestling
High school wrestling was suspended Tuesday across the state due to a widespread outbreak of a skin infection.
The Minnesota State High School League said 24 cases of herpes gladiatorum have been reported by 10 teams.
The virus is spread by skin-to-skin contact. Symptoms have included lesions on the face, head and neck of wrestlers.
The league banned competitions and direct contact between wrestlers in practice until Tuesday, Feb. 6.
The suspension is meant to control the current outbreak, allow time to diagnose new cases and prevent disqualifications at the state tournament, scheduled for Feb. 28-March 3.
Dave Carlsrud, assistant executive secretary for the North Dakota High School Activities Association, said Tuesday afternoon that there had been no reports of the herpes virus among North Dakota wrestlers.
"We'll be researching that," he said.
The Minnesota Department of Health has been tracking the virus, caused by herpes simplex type 1, the same strain that causes cold sores.
Officials first became aware of the outbreak at a tournament held in Rochester in late December.
Scot Davis, who coaches wrestling at Owatonna High School, has been involved in wrestling in Minnesota for more than 40 years and says he can't remember the league completely shutting down.
Davis' team, which gets doctor checkups several times a week, competed at the Rochester tournament where the outbreak was first detected, yet none of his wrestlers have been infected.
He applauds the suspension.
“I think it's a bold step,” he said. “How else are you going to get this thing cleared up? How do I explain to a mom that her kid has herpes forever?”