2 Players die in Colorado from Meningitis

[Pierre Gotye]

All I can say is be careful what you do at the rink. Apparently 5 people got infected, two have died. They believe it had to do with sharing a water bottle or the infected player removing his mouthguard and shaking hands after a game:

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_15350194


FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Another hockey player tied to a meningitis outbreak in Larimer County has died.

County health officials say 27-year-old Nick Smith died early Tuesday. He played in the same pick-up hockey game June 9 in Fort Collins as 29-year-old Brian Wormus, who died last week after contracting the disease.

Smith also played in a game June 12 in neighboring Windsor.

A third hockey player who contracted meningitis has been hospitalized in Great Falls, Mont., where he was vacationing. A Colorado State University student who fell ill Memorial Day weekend is hospitalized in critical condition in a Denver-area hospital.

Larimer County health officials say the bacteria that sickened all four men appears to have the same "parent" as a strain that killed a Metropolitan State College student April 8.

Simply put: Wash you hands with hot water+soap after hockey.

Click to read more...

 

[Monsignor]

Dang.... thanks for sharing.

OT - where do you play? I live in Fairview and play at the Allen Community Rink.... am there 2-3 days/week.

 

[budster]

Simply put: Wash you hands with hot water+soap after hockey.

Make that your whole body! I am always eager to hit the showers after every game. The thought of bringing any of that funk home with me makes me nauseous.

That really is a tragedy, how sad. I wonder if there are other ways it could have been prevented so it doesn't happen to anyone else.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

Makes you think ... the H1N1 scare was enough for me to tap gloves after a game instead of shake hands.

 

[Pierre Gotye]

Dang.... thanks for sharing.

OT - where do you play? I live in Fairview and play at the Allen Community Rink.... am there 2-3 days/week.

Ha. I've played there plenty times myself but mostly play in Plano and sometimes in McKinney on the odd occasion in Frisco or Richardson ITC.

 

[Pierre Gotye]

Makes you think ... the H1N1 scare was enough for me to tap gloves after a game instead of shake hands.

I'm from Colorado originally, so it kind of strikes a little close to home. My Mom of course was going nuts when I talked to her on Sunday.

 

[Kreider Luvs Goalies]

Wait im a bit confused...
Is it from sharing waterbottles or shaking hands or a combination of both?

 

[Pierre Gotye]

Wait im a bit confused...
Is it from sharing waterbottles or shaking hands or a combination of both?

They don't know exactly from which yet, but those have to be the main culprit causes.

 

[sk84fun_dc]

Horrible news. I'm surprised I haven't hear about this more often within the hockey world with the way water bottles are shared plus the locker rooms, etc. Definitely hear about more cases then one wants to in general.

There was a meningitis outbreak among 2 or more members of a NJ hockey team and another person about 3 years ago. Fortunately, in that case, all survived after quite a scare in one case. link to some of the story and the update from a year later

 

[Pierre Gotye]

It's unfortunate that the game is so much fun but bacteria is everywhere!

I know goalies and skaters who never wash their stuff. Some goalies play 3-5 nights a week and their gear just parts a room.

 

[Muttley*]

Horrible news. I'm surprised I haven't hear about this more often within the hockey world with the way water bottles are shared plus the locker rooms, etc. Definitely hear about more cases then one wants to in general.

There was a meningitis outbreak among 2 or more members of a NJ hockey team and another person about 3 years ago. Fortunately, in that case, all survived after quite a scare in one case. link to some of the story and the update from a year later

Yep. I remember that. He was very near death and miraculously pulled through. There was a picture of him in the newspaper lying in his hospital bed and it looked like he was just wasting away. I recall it was one or two members on the varsity team and another kid from the high school not on the team.

Pretty scary.

 

[The Tikkanen]

It's unfortunate that the game is so much fun but bacteria is everywhere!

I know goalies and skaters who never wash their stuff. Some goalies play 3-5 nights a week and their gear just parts a room.

Same here. I'm pretty anal about spraying down my stuff and airing everything out but it's pretty regular that you have a guy who's gear smells so bad you get a whiff even if he's changing a few players down. After reading this I'm leaving my gloves on for the post game handshakes. Maybe it's time the rinks did away with this practice and leave the handshake to the 2 teams that play in the championship game rather than after every f'in game?

 

[Monsignor]

Just as an FYI meningitis shots can be had at your local Doc-in-a-Box or even at some select grocery stores with pharmacies. I had one a few years ago at my local Kroger for ~$30.00.... cheap insurance especially given this story plus those of us that enjoy eating lots of raw sushi, are heavy travelers, etc....

 

[vivianmb]

They don't know exactly from which yet, but those have to be the main culprit causes.

could be using the same towel on the bench....