Page 30 - GHES-3-1

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Peace and quality health is entrepreneurship

activities (Martykanova et al., 2019). For example, before Infectious diseases that require an athlete to recover
training on a mat, only two microbial species, Acinetobacter before returning to sport can inflict psychological trauma.
schindleri and Pseudomonas stutzeri, were isolated. After Depending on the nature of the disease, the type of
training, four infectious agents – Acinetobacter lwoffii, sporting activity, the nature of the competition, and the
S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Micrococcus duration of the return-to-sport process (Lindsay et al.,
luteus – were identified (Martykanova et al., 2019). This 2021; Yung et al., 2022), the psychological impact can be
illustrates that as athletes acquire infections from sports similar to that caused by a broken heart (Smith, 2022).
activities, they can also transmit infections to stadiums Individuals experiencing severe emotional distress often
and parks. exhibit depression, lose interest in daily activities, and

Sports-accidental infections negatively impact players’ withdraw from social interactions, which are particularly
performances. The “return-to-play” policy is an effective severe when pharyngitis is accompanied by infective
disease control strategy that prohibits infected athletes endocarditis, another condition that can be caused by S.
from participating until fully recovered (Herrero, 2020; pyogenes (Dass & Kanmanthareddy, 2023; Primera et al.,
Nincevic et al., 2023; Yao et al., 2021). This approach helps 2023; Smith, 2022).
prevent the spread of infections, which could escalate In extreme cases, some individuals may contemplate or
in pandemics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many commit suicide (Smith, 2022). The signs and symptoms of
nations implemented lockdowns to contain the virus, emotional distress from a broken heart are not significantly
requiring athletes to recover at home before rejoining different from the pain caused by pharyngitis due to S.
their teams (Börjesson et al., 2017; Nincevic et al., 2023; pyogenes (Chatzantonis et al., 2020) and the psychological
Lindblad et al., 2022; Yao et al., 2021). impact of the return-to-sport process due to infection,
Before an athlete is qualified to participate in a game, especially when the infection becomes systemic.
they must be part of the training process that leads to Infections can lead to inevitable depression and anxiety
player selection. Infectious diseases or injuries can prevent among infected athletes (Lindsay et al., 2021; Shafiee et al.,
athletes from taking part, effectively disqualifying talented 2017; Yung et al., 2022). These are serious health problems
players (Ahmadinejad et al., 2014; Likness, 2011). All types that can exacerbate other health conditions, such as anemia
of infections can disqualify athletes from competition and mental health. Depression is identified as one of the
(Martínez et al., 2017; Newberger & Gupta, 2023; Nincevic most common indicators of mental illness, affecting nearly
et al., 2023). 350 million people globally (Shafiee et al., 2017). Some
Sports-accidental infections impede athletes’ progress, individuals with depression may resort to substance abuse
just as infectious diseases can affect global peace and (Mills, 2023; Shakespeare et al., 2021), which can be worsened
entrepreneurship. A current example is the COVID-19 by infections, including sports-accidental infections.
pandemic, which negatively affected global peace, quality 3.3. Identifying the diagnostic roles of medical
health, and entrepreneurship (Ksinan Jiskrova et al., laboratories in preventing sports-accidental
2021; Nincevic et al., 2023; Posel et al., 2021; Pulle, infections for global peace, quality health, and
2022), including sports when people were confined to entrepreneurship
their homes for extended periods. Evidence shows that
COVID-19 reduced the performance of some football Treating patients without identifying the cause is akin to
players (Nincevic et al., 2023). fighting an unknown enemy in warfare. This analogy is
particularly relevant in disease prevention, disease control,
Injuries, infections, and diseases impede quality health,
peace, and entrepreneurship (Pulle, 2022; Pulle et al., and healthcare delivery (Lindblad et al., 2022; Nincevic
2022). For example, S. pyogenes alone causes infections et al., 2023; Yao et al., 2021). Microbiological investigations
in approximately 18.1 million people globally, with an play a critical role in identifying infectious agents, which
associated annual mortality of 500,000 individuals, making are essential for providing effective and quality health care,
it a pathogen of public health importance (Avire et al., especially during pandemics. This principle also applies to
managing sports-accidental infections. Once the pathogen
2021). Although not the most common cause of infections is identified and treated/cured, the athlete can safely return
in athletes and non-athletes, S. pyogenes is responsible for to sports (Börjesson et al., 2017; Lindblad et al., 2022;
many diseases that negatively affect athletes’ performances Nincevic et al., 2023).
and well-being. The most common soft tissue infection
caused by S. pyogenes is pharyngitis, commonly known as Accurate diagnosis relies on selecting the correct
sore throat (Avire et al., 2021; Newberger & Gupta, 2023; sample. For example, if an athlete presents with a skin
Stevens & Brt, 2016). infection, the optimal diagnostic samples would be skin

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 22 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2904