Sheep Poop Sickens Mountain Bikers; Mountain Bikers Sicken Everyone Else

Evolution at work....

Mike


http://outside-blog.away.com/blog/20...untain-bi.html

December 03, 2008
Sheep Poop Sickens Mountain Bikers
"Biting the Dust" took on a whole new meaning for 160 mountain bikers
in a recent race in Wales, who fell ill with food poisoning after
competing in a muddy course, according to a report in Britain's Daily
Telegraph.

Turns out the course was a heavy traffic area for local sheep and was
rich with sheep feces. A recent rain meant the area was wetter than
usual, and the bikers charging through the Welsh countryside kicked up
plenty of mud. The problem came, health inspectors believe, when the
riders ate without washing their hands (see, Mom did have a reason for
all that nagging about personal hygiene!) and were infected with the
bacterium campylobacter, which is usually found in uncooked meats and
poultry.

"A lot of the lads were really ill – they are fit men but this hit
them for six," biker Andrew Lloyd, 27 told the Telegraph. We're not
really sure what he means.

Over 660 bikers took part in Builth Wells Mountain Biking Marathon in
Powys, Wales this past July. After eight bikers fell sick immediately
after the event, the National Public Health Service for Wales sent
surveys to all of the bikers. 335 replied, and 161 reported feeling
sick.

The National Public Health released a report with their findings to
help race directors avoid this problem in the future. They included
suggestions like using food wrappers and rerouting courses to avoid
sheep-heavy areas.

Or the bikers could just try washing their hands.

--Melanie Lidman

--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

He makes people sick because no one likes a hypocrite.

Originally Posted by Siskuwihane[_2_]

He makes people sick because no one likes a hypocrite.

Darwin would have laughed his ass off!