Hundreds at Tough Mudder race reportedly infected in Bay Area

Sonoma County officials issued a health advisory Wednesday after hundreds of people who competed in a Tough Mudder obstacle course at Sonoma Raceway last weekend reportedly developed rashes with boils, fevers and muscle pain, as well as other health issues including nausea and vomiting, less than 24 hours after the event.

The popular event requires participants to wriggle and clamber through mud and waist-deep muddy water; that exposure is how health officials suspect people may have gotten sick. 

“Most affected persons have pustular rash, fever, myalgias, and headache,” the Sonoma County health advisory read. “These symptoms could be indicative of a minor illness called Swimmers’ Itch, but they can also indicate a Staph infection or other more serious bacterial infection such as Aeromonas.”

Aeronomas can be spread through contaminated waterways and soil, according to a study from the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Sonoma County officials urged participants experiencing symptoms to see a doctor or emergency provider immediately.  

The news comes after a flood of reports were shared on the Toughmudder subreddit, with some participants claiming they had to spend the night in the ER after they noticed their skin was covered in pus-filled blisters. Participant Nicole Villagran, who experienced flu-like symptoms as red welts broke out all over her arms and legs, told ABC7 there were a few moments during the race where she could “smell cow manure” and couldn’t finish some of the obstacles. 

“6/6 of my group have the bumps and pimples,” Reddit user GenxDHMTB wrote in one of the threads. “3 of us with fevers. 3 went to the ER. [I’m a] what-doesn’t-kill you-makes you-stronger kinda guy but knowingly sending people to wallow through cow crap is negligent in my book.”

A spokesperson for Tough Mudder did not immediately respond to SFGATE’s request for comment, but Redditors said Tough Mudder Sonoma had conducted outreach to participants and encouraged them to seek medical care. “We want to let you know, that the health and safety of the Tough Mudder community is always our top priority, and accordingly, we are actively taking all necessary steps to fully investigate the matter,” the statement read.

A spokesperson for Sonoma County was also not immediately available to provide comment. Matt Brown, a spokesperson for the county, told NBC Bay Area they had received seven confirmed cases of Aeromonas as of Thursday afternoon. The county said at least 22 people reported symptoms overall, according to KTVU, but participant Chris Palakos told the news station he believed many more people were infected and had not yet been documented. 

“I’ve heard of at least 350 [people] on an email thread I got myself involved in,” Palakos said, noting “anywhere on my body that touched the ground had red spots.”

Officials said the incubation period for the infection is between 24 and 48 hours. People are encouraged to call Sonoma County Public Health for more information at 707-565-4567.