Characteristics of Sports-Related Dermatoses for Different Types of Sports: A Cross-Sectional Study

Prevalence of Common Viral Skin Infections in Beach Volleyball Athletes

Viral skin infections often affect the sports community. The aim of this study was to assess the rates, location sites, and seasons of appearance of common viral cutaneous diseases in beach volleyball athletes in Greece. Five hundred and forty-nine beach volleyball athletes participated in this study. The average age was 28.4 years. The viral infections were herpes simplex (type 1), molluscum contagiosum and warts. The measured parameters included: gender, age, the season when athletes may be more susceptible to infections and the location of infection in the body. Practicing information such as the number of training years, number of weekly trainings, and average hours of daily training was also recorded. Incidence rates correlated in relation to age: (a) warts (p < 0.001), molluscum contagiosum (p < 0.001), and herpes simplex (p = 0.001); (b) years of training: warts (p < 0.001), molluscum contagiosum (p < 0.001), and herpes simplex (p = 0.004); (c) average hours of daily training: molluscum contagiosum (p = 0.006) and herpes simplex (p < 0.010). The skin is the largest organ, and the risk of infection should not be underestimated. Prevention, early detection, recognition, and treatment are related to health and athletic performance, but also to the risk of transmission.

Skin Diseases in Elite Athletes

An athlete's skin has to cope with various stressors that influence skin integrity. This study investigated the effect of intense sporting activity at a competitive level on skin health, independent of the type of sport. The prevalence of dermatoses in elite athletes who exercise 8 or more hours per week was compared to recreational athletes. By applying a questionnaire, we acquired data from n=492 recruited athletes and recreational athletes regarding the prevalence of dermatoses, the extent of physical activity, and sports discipline practiced. Compared to the reference group, elite athletes showed less inflammatory, traumatic, infectious, and sebaceous skin diseases and especially neurodermitis, pruritus, bullae, tinea pedis, acne, and herpes were less common. Women suffered from skin diseases more often than men. With advanced age, the incidence of dermatoses increased, but less so among elite athletes. The discipline practiced and the duration of training, especially when performed outdoors, strongly influenced the development of dermatoses. Even though the skin of athletes is exposed to higher stress levels and physical strain, we can state that intensive physical activity seems to act as a protecting factor against skin diseases and significantly promotes skin health.

Tinea corporis gladiatorum

Tinea corporis gladiatorum (TCG) is a variety of tinea corporis transmitted by repeated and close skin contacts among athletes, in particular wrestlers and judokas. Trichophyton tonsurans is the most frequently isolated dermatophyte. Cases of TCG were reported in USA, Iran, Japan, Turkey and France, where wrestling or judo are popular. No cases of TCG were reported in Italy. The typical clinical presentation of tinea corporis is not always present in TCG: a bacterial folliculitis-like appearance is not rare. Fluconazole is the therapy of choice.

NEW RECREATIONAL CATEGORY ASSOCIATED WITH COMMON WART TRANSMISSION

ABSTRACT Introduction “Altinha”, a variant of beach soccer that is very popular on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, is a recreational activity that adapts the basics of beach soccer to a game with a circular formation, with the participation of several players who mainly use the following parts of their bodies: feet, legs, head, knees and trunk. Since it is a Brazilian pursuit, the relationship between “altinha” and skin infections is poorly described. The authors report six cases of patients diagnosed with common warts, seeking to correlate the development of these lesions with participation in “altinha”. Clinical Case Six patients, young adults from Rio de Janeiro who play “altinha” on Rio’s beaches, with complaints of painless verrucous lesions, were assessed. Physical examination revealed cracked normochromic keratotic papules mainly affecting feet and legs of the dominant limb. In light of the medical history and physical examination, the diagnosis was of vulgar warts. The patients were treated with cryosurgery, obtaining satisfactory results. Discussion The sport and its outdoor environmental conditions favor transmission of the human papillomavirus due to exposure to factors such as humidity, sweating and trauma, besides direct contact with the infected skin of other players and with colonized surfaces. “Altinha” is played barefoot, and the equipment of choice is the soccer ball, which is constantly shared between players, leading to trauma caused not only by the ball, but also by the sand. Moreover, the activity demands physical exertion from participants, resulting in sweating and potential physical contact. Conclusion With the increasing popularity of “altinha” among beachgoers, dermatologists must be aware of the sun protection habits of these individuals. They must also be mindful of the need to examine their skin for related dermatosis and to warn them of the risk of infection by the human papillomavirus in this new sport. Level of Evidence IV; Case series.

Sports Dermatology: Skin Disease in Athletes

There are numerous disorders of the skin that occur in athletes. These include infections, mechanical injury, and inflammatory skin diseases such as dermatitis, urticaria, and others. This paper discusses some of the most common athletic skin diseases.

Skin Microbiota in Contact Sports Athletes and Selection of Antiseptics for Professional Hygiene

Background

The aim of this study was to assess changes in skin microbiota of wrestlers during training sessions and to determine the sensitivity of hemolytic bacterial isolates to antiseptics.

Methods

The main skin bacterial isolates obtained from the skin of 15 wrestlers were identified by cultivation method, with the following MALDI Biotyper and 16S rRNA gene sequencing methods. The sensitivity of hemolytic isolates to antiseptics (Veltosept-2, Cutasept F, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin, and Hydrogen Peroxide) was evaluated by measuring the size of bacterial growth inhibition zone on agar plates.

Results

Opportunistic bacteria of the species Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and S. saprophyticus were the most commonly found species in skin microbiota of wrestlers before and after training sessions. Representatives of all these species mostly had a hemolytic activity. An alcohol-containing antiseptic Veltosept-2 showed the strongest inhibitory effect on the bacterial isolates of athletes' skin microbiota most frequently detected in this study.

Conclusions

The general increase in the bacterial colonization of wrestlers' skin, as well as the presence of hemolytic forms of opportunistic bacteria in cutaneous microbiota, indicates dysbiotic changes and a decrease in the protective features of the host organism. Veltosept-2 application can reduce the incidence of skin infections in contact sports athletes with the highest efficiency.