| By Bob Weaver
After county school and state health officials denied to confirm the number of wrestlers, students or other individuals who contracted Herpes Gladatorium, the Hur Herald sought to obtain the number from Loretta Haddy, WV State Epidemiologist, with the WV Department of Health and Human Resources.
Following the outbreak at a state wrestling tournament, a general press release indicated there was a problem initially affecting five students at one West Virginia high school, later saying the outbreak spread to other state schools or counties.
The outbreak, unconfirmed, affected students at Calhoun High School.
State health officials, following a Freedom of Information request, have declined not only to disclose the number of individuals affected, but the counties or regions to which the virus spread.
While Calhoun school officials indicated precautions and disinfection of school facilities was going on, they would not confirm the presence of the disease.
It appeared that wrestlers participating in the state tournament had been notified, but the school system did not generally notify parents of the outbreak, indicating the problem primarily affected wrestlers.
Information regarding the spread of Herpes Gladatorium says wrestlers are at greatest risk, although the virus can be spread to others by direct contact.
Superintendent of Schools Roger Propst said he was following directions of the WV Department of Education and state health officials regarding rules of confidentiality.
The Hur Herald pursued the issue because it appeared the matter was related to public health, saying the FOIA request was broad and general regarding the outbreak, and was not specific to individuals.
"There are strict limitations to disclose under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) obtained in any epidermiologic investigation," said Haddy, including the outbreak of Herpes Gladatorium.
Haddy said the state agency is not in position to give the number of cases related to recent exposure at state wrestling tournaments.
In response to the Hur Herald's FOIA request, the agency says, "We do not at this time have any records directly responsive to your request. Even if we did, it is unclear whether we could disclose them, or any portion of them, given legal restrictions regarding epidemiological investigations..."
Haddy says that the agency cannot disclose county/regional information regarding such outbreaks.
"The numbers we are dealing with are small, and therefore the ability to relate back very personal and confidential information, including medical, to specific individuals," is denied, says Haddy.
During earlier outbreaks of infectious diseases affecting school students, the Hur Herald said there seemed to be a disconnect in dealing with such infections as a public health issue, calling it a disconnect between the agencies in charge and the public.
The denial of information about a past MRSA outbreak appears to be the same as the denial of information related to Herpes Gladitorium, but in reviewing the MRSA outbreak in 2007, a large number of students contracted the disease.
The Hur Herald pursued the matter for several months after receiving numerous complaints from parents about how MRSA seriously affected their children.
See MRSA articles from 2007 Â DANGEROUS STAPH INFECTION HITS WV SCHOOLS
NO CONFIRMED CASES OF MRSA IN CALHOUN - Precautions Being Taken
MRSA VERIFIED IN THREE REGIONAL COUNTIES - "We're Doing Everything We Know To Do"
MORE ABOUT MRSA SCARE - WV State Football Players Affected
ROANE COUNTY HAS 51 MRSA CASES, CALHOUN 9 FOR '07 - "Cause For Concern, Not Cause For Alarm"
IS THERE A MRSA DISCONNECT?
NEW CASES OF MRSA REPORTED
101 MRSA CASES REPORTED IN SIX-COUNTY AREA DURING '07
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