What's
Living in Your Hockey Bag?:
Study Digs Deep for All the Gory Details
Colette Derworiz
Calgary Herald
For all of the moms and dads who have ever wondered what may be
growing in those stinky, sweaty hockey bags, we have all of the
dirty details. The Biotechnology Training Centre at the University
of Calgary swabbed 10 items in a recently used hockey bag of a 20-year-old
male. Among the samples taken were the helmet, skates, shin pads,
gloves, chest protector and the cup. "That was vile,"
Duncan MacCannell, a U of C graduate student in microbiology and
infectious diseases, said soon after taking the swabs. He and Vicky
Lau, a first-year university student who has worked at the lab for
two years, were in charge of the project for the Herald as part
of Esso Minor Hockey Week.
The severity of what bacteria could do, hit home at the end of
December, when Mikael Renberg of the Toronto Maple Leafs cut his
hand while lacing up his skates. An infection caused his hand
to swell like a boxing glove, and led to talk of amputation and
even death. Fortunately for Renberg, his hand was spared. But
Leafs coach, Pat Quinn, suggested at the time the team needed
to get its equipment tested since a similar ailment forced goalie
Ed Belfour to miss four games last October.
In Calgary, where thousands of hockey players haul the stinky
bags to and from the rink each day, parents shudder to think what
is growing on their children's equipment. "It's pretty nasty,"
said hockey mom Lori Weisensel. She said her 11-year-old son now
showers immediately after games and hangs his equipment to dry
that evening. "The moms of the team have been approached
by the people who clean the equipment and the dads think that
is just funny," Weisensel said. "They are like, 'Oh,
please, this is a hockey team. It isn't ballet.'" Well, don't
get too smug, all of you disparaging dads. The hockey equipment
tested for the Herald grew samples of both yeast and bacteria.
Lab manager Wendy Hutchins said the equipment should be aired
out after every game (bacteria thrives in dark and moist conditions)
and could use a good cleaning before being stored away for the
summer.
Bacteria found in lab analysis of the hockey bag of a 20-year-old
male
- Staphylococcus epidermidis a common member of the normal
florae of skin and mucous membranes. It is one of the most commonly
isolated organisms in the clinical laboratory. While, at one time,
its appearance was dismissed as contamination, it is now one of
the most important agents of hospital acquired infections.
-
Found staphylococcus epidermidis on gloves, elbow pads,
chest protector and elbow pad.
-
Staphylococcus aureus a bacteria commonly found on the
skin and in the nose of healthy people. Sometimes it can get into
the body and cause an infection, which can lead to pimples, boils
and other skin conditions. The infection can become more serious
in such conditions as blood infection and pneumonia. Found on
the helmet.
-
Streptococcus viridans an organism normally found in the
mouth. Found on the shin pads and the elbow pad.
- Environmental bacteria picked up from the environment,
such as those found on water fountains, etc.
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