Tough Mudder contestants ingested faeces

At least 22 people have been sickened by a common bacteria caused by accidentally swallowing animal faeces during a Tough Mudder event in the US.

The long-distance athletes most likely were infected by campylobacter coli by ingesting muddy water that contained animal droppings during the event in November 2012.

A report by the Centres for Disease Control released yesterday said the disease left the competitors with fever, vomiting and bloody diarrhoea.

The water athletes had to swim through at the event most likely contained pig or cattle faeces containing the bacteria, which humans normally contract from eating undercooked or raw poultry.

The event took place in Beatty, Nevada, north of Las Vegas.