Posted on 03/05/2011 10:48:41 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
Carrie Nee prefers to stand during her half-hour commute on BART from San Leandro to downtown San Francisco. Although the trains’ blue fabric seats are plush and comfortable, Ms. Nee refuses to sit on them.
As Bob Franklin, the BART board president, acknowledged, “People don’t know what’s in there.”
Now they do.
Fecal and skin-borne bacteria resistant to antibiotics were found in a seat on a train headed from Daly City to Dublin/Pleasanton. Further testing on the skin-borne bacteria showed characteristics of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, the drug-resistant bacterium that causes potentially lethal infections, although Ms. Franklin cautioned that the MRSA findings were preliminary.
High concentrations of at least nine bacteria strains and several types of mold were found on the seat. Even after Ms. Franklin cleaned the cushion with an alcohol wipe, potentially harmful bacteria were found growing in the fabric.
MRSA is known as the “superbug” because it is resistant to antibiotics. It infects people through open wounds, attacking the immune system; 19,000 deaths each year are related to MRSA infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“There’s a probability that it is MRSA, but more tests would need to be done,” Ms. Franklin said. “Somebody probably was wearing shorts and had an infection, and there you go. It is concerning.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I don’t touch anything on those trains; very gross
I had a perfectly smart remark for the headline......
And now you’ve made me forget what it was!
Reason number 3,276 not to live in San Francisco.
Although undoubtedly true that this bacteria is in the seats, it’s probably all over the train and all over things you touch everyday, like money.
Lol!
The problem is people who try to live in a plastic bubble just wind up more susceptible to germs in the end, because it is exposure to bacteria that allows the human body to build up defenses. The human body is not fragile.
If she rides dressed like that I don’t blame her for not sitting down. She is practically exposed.
Maybe they should check out her bicycle seat.
Not Guilty!
I’m getting worried about bedbugs as well! You can pick them up from upholstered things. Like in a movie theatre.
I think upholstered seating on public transit is stupid.
It is interesting that the article exposing the filthiness of California transit is written in bedbug infested New York.
That chick is the dictionary definition of “Cool while utter chaos reigns in a confined space.”
Two words: "Weaponized Smallpox"
At least the airlines are waking up and ordering faux leather seats for their planes. Those at least get a quick spray and wipe before boarding.
And, in a related story....bicycle seat sniffers throughout the world are going nuts at the moment.
Too late.
Ditto !
After reading about the filthy fecal and E. coli contaminated shopping cart handles all over the country, I certainly wouldn’t trust train seats around San Francisco. Too many people who don’t use soap and water in this country.
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