title: Skin infections among US high school athletes: A national survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin infections have long been a reported problem among high school athletes, particularly wrestlers. There has yet to be a national study describing the epidemiology of skin infections across multiple high school sports.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to report the epidemiology of skin infections among US high school athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  High school sports-related skin infections resulting in time loss were reported by a convenience sample of US high schools from 2009/2010 through 2013/2014 via High School Reporting Information Online.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study, 474 skin infections were reported among 20,858,781 athlete exposures, a rate of 2.27 per 100,000 athlete exposures. The largest number of skin infections occurred in wrestling (73.6%) followed by football (17.9%). The most common infections were bacterial (60.6%) and tinea (28.4%) infections. Body parts most often affected were the head/face (25.3%) followed by the forearm (12.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study included only high schools with National Athletic Trainers' Association-affiliated athletic trainers, which may limit generalizability. However, using athletic trainers as data reporters improved data quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Skin infections are an important subset of high school sports-related adverse events. An understanding of the epidemiology of sports-related skin infections should promote awareness and drive evidence-based prevention efforts.
authors: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
authors: Kurt A
authors: KA
authors: Ashack
authors: University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida.
authors: Kyle A
authors: KA
authors: Burton
authors: Department of Medical Education, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida.
authors: Teresa R
authors: TR
authors: Johnson
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
authors: Dustin W
authors: DW
authors: Currie
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; Department of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine), University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
authors: R Dawn
authors: RD
authors: Comstock
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; Dermatology Service, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado. Electronic address: robert.dellavalle@ucdenver.edu.
authors: Robert P
authors: RP
authors: Dellavalle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D056352:Athletes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009181:Mycoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: athletes; competition; high school; injury; prevention; skin infections; sports