14 DAY TRIAL // In a recent report published in the journal Cell Systems, researchers show that New York City's subway system is teeming with bacteria. True, most of these microorganisms are harmless. Then again, it appears that drug-resistant specimens are also part of this subway system's bacteria population.
However, the scientists behind this investigation say that, since the majority of the bacteria inhabiting New York City's subway system are innocent little fellows, there is no reason for people to stop using the underground or wear protective gloves.
Zooming in on pathogens in the New York City subway system
Writing in the journal Cell Systems, specialists with the Weill Cornell Medical College and colleagues explain that, as part of their investigation, they collected samples from several subway sites in New York City.
Having analyzed these samples in laboratory conditions, the researchers identified DNA originating from as many as 637 known species. Of the bacteria that they pinned down, the majority were non-pathogenic. Besides, they were bacteria commonly present on the human body.
Study leader Christopher E. Mason and colleagues go on to detail that, of the bacteria species they identified, 12% were of the kind known to have the potential to make people sick, and that antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found in 27% of the samples they analyzed.
During their study, the researchers also zoomed in on DNA fragments originating from Bacillus anthracis, a pathogen more commonly referred to as anthrax. What's more, some samples were found to contain genetic material from the bubonic plague pathogen.
What's interesting is that, despite their best efforts, the Weill Cornell Medical College specialists and fellow researchers failed to identify about 50% of the DNA sequences they pinned down when processing the samples they collected.
Thus, these DNA sequences did not match any of the organisms included in the National Center for Biotechnology Information or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention database. This could mean that previously undocumented microscopic organisms are lurking in this environment, just waiting to be discovered.
The city's residents have nothing to worry about, scientists say
Mind you, the presence of anthrax and bubonic plague genetic material in New York City's subway system does not mean that people are in any way at risk when using the underground. Thus, there is no evidence that living specimens of either of these pathogens are now alive in this corner of the world.
“Our data show evidence that most bacteria in these densely populated, highly trafficked transit areas are neutral to human health. Despite finding traces of pathogenic microbes, their presence isn't substantial enough to pose a threat to human health,” says researcher Christopher E. Mason.
Seeing how, back in 2013, the subway system in New York City was used by about 5.5 million people on a daily basis, it comes as good news that, even if bacteria are present in their environment, people don't have to worry about getting sick while on their way to work.