| By Bob Weaver
Calhoun Schools have yet to confirm an outbreak of Herpes Simplex virus among members of the school's wrestling team, although at least one wrestler is reportedly hospitalized with complications from the disease.
"Herpes simplex virus (Herpes Gladiatorum) has been confirmed in five members of a high school wrestling team in West Virginia," according to a press release Friday by Catherine C. Slemp, MD, Acting State Health Officer
WVDHHR, Bureau for Public Health.
Calhoun Superintendent of Schools Roger Propst declined to confirm the outbreak as related to Calhoun-Middle High School students, but did say the school has taken preventative measures with the situation.
"We have closed our wrestling room and weight room until completely cleaned and sanitized this evening (Monday) by our custodial staff." Propst said.
While parents of Calhoun Middle-High School had not been given the Action Alert about the problem, Propst said, "The parents of any child testing positive has been notified by the State (Education) Department since we are not medical professionals."
An Action Alert was issued Friday to state health providers and public schools following regional and state wrestling tournaments held February 18-19 and February 24-26, saying wrestlers who participated in the tournaments could be at risk, and that coaches and physicians should be watchful for new cases through March 10.
"The full scope of the outbreak is under investigation," said Dr. Slemp, declining to release public information about what school or wrestling team has been infected or are at higher risk.
Patrick Burke, Regional Epidemiologist with the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, declined to pinpoint the school with the outbreak, saying "The investigation is ongoing now and we've engaged the state health department and local school officials to try and find all the cases and prevent further spread of the virus."
Officials at the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health did not return a call regarding the primary location of the outbreak, although the agency said, "The full scope of the outbreak is under investigation...The health alert conveys the highest level of importance, warrants immediate action or attention."
Propst said the virus is "almost exclusively" spread by wrestlers, although others can be infected by skin-to-skin contact.
Herpes (Simplex) Gladiatorum is spread readily by skin to skin contact and manifests itself with clusters of painful, vesicular lesions usually on the head and neck, with eye involvement sometimes occurring.
Sources regarding a Calhoun High School wrestler who has been hospitalized, has reportedly had the virus affect his eyes.
The virus can be readily treated, but can "hide out" in the nerves and reactivate later, causing another infection.
Generally, recurrent infections are less severe and don't last as long.
Health professionals say a recurring infection is just as contagious as the original infection, so the same steps need to be taken to prevent infecting others.
See
en.wikipedia.org
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