The challenge
Outbreaks of skin infections among athletes engaged in sports activities are an emerging health issue. The methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have recently garnered much of the attention in both the popular media and among healthcare professionals. While the general population is susceptible to MRSA outbreaks, individuals engaged in athletic events in which the participants are in close contact or share equipment may be at additional risk.
A hockey player‘s body is entirely covered in sports gear, acting as a huge sponge for sweat. “Bacteria and certain types of fungi survive and reproduce wherever there is food (sweat), moisture, and warmth.”
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Selective Micro Technologies, in conjunction with the Ohio AAA Bluejackets, set out to reduce bacteria and fungi levels on players‘ equipment, as well as eliminate odors associated with hockey equipment. Treatment consisted of wetting the players’ equipment (helmet; shoulder, elbow, and shin pads; gloves; pants; and skates) with pure chlorine dioxide ClO2, followed by a 1-hour gas treatment of ClO2. The gear was left in the treated locker room overnight to dry. Swabs of various surfaces were taken before and after treatment, counting bacteria and fungi levels. The following pages report the results.
The results
Colony Forming Units (CFU)—number of individual colonies present in a sample
Compare to:
- 5,000 CFU of bacteria on an iPad
- 6,100 CFU of bacteria on a public toilet seat
- 8,900 CFU of bacteria on a cell phone
- 90,000 CFU of bacteria on a taxi steering wheel
- 940 CFU of bacteria on a public bathroom door
In summary
Personal equipment showed dangerous levels of both bacteria and fungi.
Common pathogens included in these population levels include:
- Athlete‘s Foot
- MRSA
- Norovirus
- Rhinovirus
- E. Coli
- Influenza-A
The combined treatments of both liquid and gas forms of ClO2 proved beneficial to eliminating odors and dangerous levels of bacteria and fungi on personal sporting equipment.
Recommended protocol for personal sports equipment
Athlete‘s should thoroughly wet down (spray) personal equipment with SMT‘s pure chlorine dioxide, and allow to air dry after each use to reduce the bacteria and fungi colony forming units as well as eliminate associated odors. Gas treatment should be used on a monthly basis in conjunction with the liquid ClO2 to aid in further odor elimination and atmospheric decontamination.