This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

1978 and 1980

Melinda Moore, MD; Roy C. Baron, MD; Marc R. Filstein, MD; John P. Lofgren, MD; Diane L. Rowley, MD; Lawrence B. Schonberger, MD; Milford H. Hatch, ScD

JAMA. 1983;249(15):2039-2042.

Abstract
During 1978 and 1980, epidemiologists at the Centers for Disease Control investigated seven outbreaks of aseptic meningitis—like illness (AMLI) occurring in high school football players in four different states. One or more enterovirus types were isolated from affected students at all seven schools. Attack rates were highest among the varsity football teams (range, 21% to 68%), although junior varsity teams were also affected at most schools (range, 5% to 63%). Non—football athletes were relatively spared. The illness was also reported by nonathletes at all three schools where more extensive investigations were undertaken. At one school, the AMLI attack rate was higher among students who were close friends of football players than among students who were not close friends; at the other two schools, these rates were similar. Hospitalization was more likely for football players with AMLI than for affected nonfootball players. Transmission of enteroviruses among football players was probably from person to person, although there was additional evidence to implicate common vehicle transmission at two schools. We conclude that football players may or may not have been more likely to be exposed to the enteroviruses circulating in their communities, but once introduction of a virus into a team occurred, transmission potential may have been enhanced, resulting in a large number of AMLI cases in players.

(JAMA 1983;249:2039-2042)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Viral Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases (Drs Moore, Rowley, Schonberger, and Hatch), and the Epidemiology Program Office (Drs Baron, Filstein, and Lofgren), Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta. Dr Moore is now with the International Health Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to International Health Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30333 (Dr Moore).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Competitive Sports: A Review of the Literature
Turbeville et al.
Am J Sports Med 2006;34:1860-1865.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Infectious Diseases in Competitive Sports
Goodman et al.
JAMA 1994;271:862-867.
ABSTRACT  

Pleurodynia Among Football Players at a High School: An Outbreak Associated With Coxsackievirus B1
Ikeda et al.
JAMA 1993;270:2205-2206.
ABSTRACT  

Illness and absence among wrestlers, swimmers, and gymnasts at a large university
Strauss et al.
Am J Sports Med 1988;16:653-655.
ABSTRACT