Laughing Cow
09-03-2003, 10:36 PM
Fearless fungus floors judoists
By Ryann Connell
Staff Writer
September 3, 2003
Judo is facing the hair-raising dilemma of being devastated in its homeland, knocked about less by any throws, but a debilitating fungus that's claiming more than a few scalps, according to Weekly Playboy (9/16).
Judoka across Japan are being afflicted by a fungus related to jock itch that is ripping their scalps to shreds and spreading like wildfire.
"A high school wrestler from Osaka went to Iran for training in 2000 and was affected by the fungus. He came back home to Japan and the disease spread to every member of his wrestling team," Kanazawa Medical College Assistant Professor Takashi Mochizuki tells Weekly Playboy. "It was the first group outbreak in Japan of Trichophyton tonsurans."
Trichophyton tonsurans, the mysterious fungus, is giving martial arts proponents a far stronger karate chop than any of their foes could do.
"The fungus is the same type of skin disease that causes jock itch and athlete's foot, but it mainly affects the scalp," Mochizuki says.
Explaining that the ailment is frequently referred to as "martial arts fungus," Tohoku University Prof. Setsuya Aiba explains its history.
"It first broke out widely in the United States during the '80s. It was named the 'martial arts fungus' because it only seemed to affect fighters. It came into Japan via international competitions and spread quickly through mainly high school judo and wrestling teams," the skin specialist tells Weekly Playboy. "We had 43 cases in Sendai where all but one person picked it up through either judo or wrestling."
Aiba adds that the fungus is so powerful, it can induce changes in existing types of native bacteria.
"It often starts on the arms and back, forming little red blotches that can often be a little itchy. The symptoms are usually rather mild. If left alone, however, the fungus can spread to the head. It forms red sores and buries itself within the scalp, taking the hair with it. In extremely rare cases, it can lead to complete baldness and the eruption of pus on the scalp," Aiba says.
As it is often so difficult to determine whether the disease has broken out, it has spread broadly and quickly before many people are aware of it.
"We had one kid who picked it up off another member of the judo team in the spring and was so shocked he has since refused to attend school," an Akita Prefecture high school judo team coach tells Weekly Playboy.
Treatment of the fungus is relatively simple, with medication working effectively within about one month. But that doesn't mean those who've picked it up can rest easy.
"Treating the fungus doesn't bring immunity to it," Aiba says. "It spreads quicker the more people practice and you can pick it up any number of times. You may clear it up in every member of one team, but as soon as there's a match with another team, there's always a risk it will break out again. If anything is to be done, it has to be on a national level."
When the fungus first went rampant in the United States, Americans nullified it by examining all participants before matches and banning carriers from competition until they were cleared of the disease. With the Judo World Championships starting in Osaka on Sept. 11, Japan has an ideal opportunity to tackle the growing problem. Not so, according to a Japan Judo Federation official who talks to Weekly Playboy.
"We have no intention of conducting any sort of inspection at all.
By Ryann Connell
Staff Writer
September 3, 2003
Judo is facing the hair-raising dilemma of being devastated in its homeland, knocked about less by any throws, but a debilitating fungus that's claiming more than a few scalps, according to Weekly Playboy (9/16).
Judoka across Japan are being afflicted by a fungus related to jock itch that is ripping their scalps to shreds and spreading like wildfire.
"A high school wrestler from Osaka went to Iran for training in 2000 and was affected by the fungus. He came back home to Japan and the disease spread to every member of his wrestling team," Kanazawa Medical College Assistant Professor Takashi Mochizuki tells Weekly Playboy. "It was the first group outbreak in Japan of Trichophyton tonsurans."
Trichophyton tonsurans, the mysterious fungus, is giving martial arts proponents a far stronger karate chop than any of their foes could do.
"The fungus is the same type of skin disease that causes jock itch and athlete's foot, but it mainly affects the scalp," Mochizuki says.
Explaining that the ailment is frequently referred to as "martial arts fungus," Tohoku University Prof. Setsuya Aiba explains its history.
"It first broke out widely in the United States during the '80s. It was named the 'martial arts fungus' because it only seemed to affect fighters. It came into Japan via international competitions and spread quickly through mainly high school judo and wrestling teams," the skin specialist tells Weekly Playboy. "We had 43 cases in Sendai where all but one person picked it up through either judo or wrestling."
Aiba adds that the fungus is so powerful, it can induce changes in existing types of native bacteria.
"It often starts on the arms and back, forming little red blotches that can often be a little itchy. The symptoms are usually rather mild. If left alone, however, the fungus can spread to the head. It forms red sores and buries itself within the scalp, taking the hair with it. In extremely rare cases, it can lead to complete baldness and the eruption of pus on the scalp," Aiba says.
As it is often so difficult to determine whether the disease has broken out, it has spread broadly and quickly before many people are aware of it.
"We had one kid who picked it up off another member of the judo team in the spring and was so shocked he has since refused to attend school," an Akita Prefecture high school judo team coach tells Weekly Playboy.
Treatment of the fungus is relatively simple, with medication working effectively within about one month. But that doesn't mean those who've picked it up can rest easy.
"Treating the fungus doesn't bring immunity to it," Aiba says. "It spreads quicker the more people practice and you can pick it up any number of times. You may clear it up in every member of one team, but as soon as there's a match with another team, there's always a risk it will break out again. If anything is to be done, it has to be on a national level."
When the fungus first went rampant in the United States, Americans nullified it by examining all participants before matches and banning carriers from competition until they were cleared of the disease. With the Judo World Championships starting in Osaka on Sept. 11, Japan has an ideal opportunity to tackle the growing problem. Not so, according to a Japan Judo Federation official who talks to Weekly Playboy.
"We have no intention of conducting any sort of inspection at all.