The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned about health risks associated with Tough Mudder obstacle-course event. Animal feces present in the muddy water can make participants suffer from diarrhea and vomiting.

The report came out after investigation took place into a muddy race event on October, 12, 2012 in rural Beatty, Nevada. During that event, three people complained about falling face first in mud and suffered from vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

Nellis Public Health led local and state officials in an investigation. The investigation team found 22 similar cases linked to October 2012 mud race event. The cases are linked with fecally transmitted bacterium Campylobacter coli.

Accidentally, muddy water does get swallowed in small quantity and could lead to infection. Investigators did not find any problem from food and drinks provided by event organizers. Lead researcher, Lieutenant Colonel Chad Claar, was of the view that there must be many more cases.

They got to know about 22 cases as they got sick and received medical care. For the past four years, Tough Mudder events are now being organized across the globe. More than a million people have taken part in the events organized at different places.

Infection cases have come into notice lately as otherwise serious injuries are rare to happen. Participants are warned about the things that can happen in the event. The event takes place on farmlands. "In areas commonly frequented by animals, topsoil used in the creation of slurry fields can be contaminated with feces from domestic fowl, ruminants, or wild animals", said the CDC.

Therefore, the CDC has now suggested organizers to warn participants that they could get exposed to fecally contaminated water and could suffer diarrheal disease if the water gets ingested.