On Wednesday, researchers said that they were initially baffled how 10 British men were infected with a rare, little-known virus, as they had not taken any risks associated with the infection.
Later, researchers found that the men had participated in blood-shedding religious rituals called self-flagellation incited by cutting or whipping themselves in Iraq, Pakistan, India and the United Kingdom.
Dr. Divya Dhasmana of St. Mary’s Hospital in London said, “There have been suggestions that you might spread infections through this route, but it has never been described before.” She is one of the authors of the study. The findings were published Wednesday in a journal by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The men who sis self-flagellation were known to be infected by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Usually, the virus does not develop symptoms in some people but can develop terrible illnesses in others, like a deadly blood cancer or even a nervous system condition.
HTLV-1 often spreads through breastfeeding, blood transfusion, sex, and sharing needles. Medical experts have estimated that nearly 10 million people are infected worldwide, though it is relatively rare in the United Kingdom and United States.
None of the 10 British men in the study had any type of signs or symptoms. All of them were diagnosed through blood tests that are not routinely advised in other settings.
The men came to attention at St. Mary’s Hospital, a referral center in England for HTLV-1 cases. Dr. Dhasmana solved the mystery when she noticed scars on the back of one man. This led to investigations, which revealed that all 10 British men had participated in religious ritual self-flagellation.
Self-flagellation is a ritual that involves striking the forehead with a knife that is then passed on to other men. It also included striking the back with a chain of blades.
One of them said that the blades that had been passed around were soaked in a bucket that contained an over-the-counter antiseptic solution. However, that is not adequate to prevent the spread of HTLV-1, said Dr. Dhasmana.
This type of ritual practice of cutting and whipping oneself is practiced by different religious groups, especially by Shiite Muslims on the holy day called Ashoura. Men usually do it and it has been controversial within religious communities. Dr. Dhasmana said, “Our message is not ‘Don’t do it.’ Our message is ‘If you do it, don’t share equipment.’”
