Schumacher Yorck Olaf, Tabben Montassar, Hassoun Khalid, Al Marwani Asmaa, Al Hussein Ibrahim, Coyle Peter, Abbassi Ahmed Khellil, Ballan Hani Taleb, Al-Kuwari Abdulaziz, Chamari Karim, Bahr Roald
Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar
Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
Br J Sports Med. 2021 Oct;55(19):1092-1098. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2020-103724. Epub 2021 Feb 15.
The risk of viral transmission associated with contact sports such as football (soccer) during the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown. The aim of this study was to describe the infective and immune status of professional football players, team staff and league officials over a truncated football season resumed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in a country with high infection rates and to investigate the clinical symptoms related to COVID-19 infection in professional football players.
Prospective cohort study of 1337 football players, staff and officials during a truncated football season (9 weeks) with a tailored infection control programme based on preventive measures and regular SARS-CoV-2 PCR swab testing (every 3-5 days) combined with serology testing for immunity (every 4 weeks). Clinical symptoms in positive participants were recorded using a 26-item, Likert-Scale-based scoring system.
During the study period, 85 subjects returned positive (cycle threshold (cT) ≤30) or reactive (30<cT<40) PCR tests, of which 36 were players. The infection rate was consistent with that of the general population during the same time period. More than half of infected subjects were asymptomatic, and the remaining had only mild symptoms with no one requiring hospitalisation. Symptom severity was associated with lower cT values. Social contacts and family were the most common sources of infection, and no infection could be traced to training or matches. Of the 36 infected players, 15 presented positive serology during the study period.
Football played outdoors involving close contact between athletes represents a limited risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe illness when preventive measures are in place.
在新冠疫情期间，与足球等接触性运动相关的病毒传播风险尚不清楚。本研究的目的是描述在一个高感染率国家，于新冠疫情高峰期恢复的缩短足球赛季中，职业足球运动员、球队工作人员和联赛官员的感染和免疫状况，并调查职业足球运动员中与新冠病毒感染相关的临床症状。
对1337名足球运动员、工作人员和官员进行前瞻性队列研究，该研究为期一个缩短的足球赛季（9周），采用基于预防措施和定期进行新冠病毒聚合酶链反应（PCR）拭子检测（每3 - 5天一次）并结合免疫血清学检测（每4周一次）的定制感染控制方案。使用基于李克特量表的26项评分系统记录阳性参与者的临床症状。
在研究期间，85名受试者的PCR检测呈阳性（循环阈值（cT）≤30）或反应性（30 < cT < 40），其中36名是运动员。感染率与同一时期的普通人群一致。超过一半的感染受试者无症状，其余仅有轻微症状，无人需要住院治疗。症状严重程度与较低的cT值相关。社交接触和家人是最常见的感染源，未发现感染可追溯至训练或比赛。在36名感染球员中，15名在研究期间血清学呈阳性。
当采取预防措施时，户外进行的涉及运动员密切接触的足球运动对新冠病毒感染和严重疾病构成的风险有限。
