- Up to 350 people have suffered from fever and rash after the race
- Sonoma’s health department is unclear as to exactly what caused the illnesses
- READ MORE: Grandfather who died of food bug that causes paralysis, pictured
Hundreds of people who took part in a Tough Mudder run last weekend have been struck by mysterious symptoms.
Participants have reported rashes, fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting 24 hours after participating in the event, with thousands racing through an obstacle course, climbing and crawling through mud, and swimming waist-to-neck deep in water.
California’s County of Sonoma Department of Health Services fears this could be the result of a mud-dwelling parasite known as the schistosomatid trematode flatworm, or Staph, a nasty bacterial infection that can lead to vomiting and fever.
At least 350 people are believed to have symptoms after competing in a Tough Mudder race at Sonoma Raceway on August 19-20.
The health department advised people participating in the race who had a rash with a fever or other symptoms to see their doctor.
Participants reported rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting 24 hours after participating in the event
Nicole Villagran showed off her rash, which covers both arms and the sides of her body
The rash is also on her legs after she took part in the muddy obstacle course
Competitors slog through the mud mile obstacle during the Tough Mudder endurance challenge at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, USA, in November 2011. At least 350 people are believed to have symptoms after competing in a Tough Mudder race at Sonoma Raceway in California on August 19 and 20, 2023.
The Sonoma health department said the symptoms could be a minor illness called swimmer’s itch, a staph infection or a more serious bacterial infection such as Aeromonas.
Swimmer’s itch, also known as cercarial dermatitis, is caused by a parasite that lives in waterfowl and snails that causes an itchy rash and red bumps.
People can develop symptoms when the parasite enters the skin after being in polluted water.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, small reddish pimples can appear within 12 hours of being in the water, which can turn into small blisters.
Sonoma health officials also said it could be a staph infection or a more serious bacterial infection like Aeromonas.
Staph infections are caused by staph bacteria and can cause boils and oozing blisters. However, staph is not found in dirt or mud, but can be spread through direct skin-to-skin contact.
In rare cases, staph infections can become deadly if the bacteria penetrate deep into the body or enter the bloodstream, which can lead to fever and muscle aches.
Aeromonas is caused by the Aeromonas hydrophila bacteria. Symptoms include watery stools, mild fever, and vomiting, as this can lead to infections in the stomach area.
Aeromonas has a mortality rate ranging from 28 percent to 46 percent.
One participant told ABC 7 Bay Area, “I seem to have a severe rash on both sides[of my body].”
Curtis Vollmar, a contestant on Tough Mudder, said his rash was mostly gone, but he said, “From the elbows up and the knees down, I was just covered in pimply, red, blistery stuff.”
He told KGO TV that 12 of the 13 people he did the event with also had symptoms, but they faded.
Another participant, Ashwin Chatwani, said: ‘We have an email connection with the Tough Mudder organization and it appears that over 350 people have been affected by the incident.’
Tough Mudder said it was “taking all necessary steps to fully investigate the matter.”