If you are a transit fan, you probably expect subway cars crawling with bacteria, after all thousands of people ride daily. But a new analysis of the Boston subway system says maybe not: The seats, hanging straps, and even ATMs in the transit system did not contain higher levels of harmful microbes most people encounter in everyday life. In the first survey on transport microbes common to watch a variety of surfaces and materials, the scientists took 100 samples from three distinct lines of railway, six different types of rail surfaces and ticketing machines in stations. After sequencing swabs, the researchers found fewer germs associated with antibiotic resistance found in the intestines of a normal person, they report today in MSystems . Overall, only 46 antibiotic resistance genes have been found in the Boston subway system, much less than the 1000 antibiotic resistance genes found in the human intestine. The most common microbe was Propionibacterium acnes , the bacterium of the common and harmless skin known to cause acne. human intestines, oral, vaginal and even microbes were found in lower amounts in the whole system. The most bacteria charged surface was suspended handles the metro, followed by seats and touch-screen ticket machine. The researchers concluded that, apart from the flu or other epidemics, risk subway riding diseases are quite low. They do not tell how their findings will apply to other transit systems, but they hope they can be used to improve the design of public spaces to contain epidemics. Meanwhile, however, there is no need to wear gloves while driving.
Boston subway cars occupy less harmful microbes that our guts
Boston subway cars occupy less harmful microbes that our guts -
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