Terrifying microbe map of New York’s subway system reveals superbugs, anthrax and bubonic plague

Daily Mail ^ | 2-5-2015 | CHRISTOPHER BRENNAN

[Citizen Zed]

The New York City subway is cramped with people, but a new study shows that the underground system may be much more crowded than we realized.

Scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College have unveiled their findings after 18 months swabbing turnstiles, ticket kiosks, railings and benches for DNA on the world's largest transport system.

They found 15,152 different types of microorganisms that share the train with its 5.5 million riders, including bubonic plague, dysentery and meningitis. 

Principal Investigator Dr Chris Mason and his team released findings from their 'PathoMap' study on Thursday, a map of all the microorganisms and DNA present on surfaces in the New York City subway.  

The study, which used a super computer to study more than 10 billion biomedical fragments, was apparently inspired by Dr Mason seeing his daughter, then in preschool, sticking toys in her mouth in 2010.

Scientists and volunteers started the project in 2013 and found 637 known bacterial, viral, fungal and animal species when swabbing the spaces between commuters and street musicians and logging the data in real time with a mobile app.

Most of the bacteria the group found were harmless, though nearly half (48 per cent) of the DNA found matched no known organisms, according to the published study at Cell.com.

[Gaffer]

So much for the “Herd Immunity” concept when the government doesn’t control its borders or even administer legal immigration and health acceptably any more.

[null and void]

If a quarantine saves just one child's life, it's worth it.

Bring out your dead! The Dark Man cometh! Bring out your dead! The Dark Man cometh! Bring out your......

(Since all records of obama's past were lost in a tragic boating accident and fire, no one can be certain that the guy in the red circle isn't him...)

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

So far the false positive rate is 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

[Lee'sGhost]

Stupidest report ever.

[Smokin' Joe]

pick a bug ping...

[Star Traveler]

This quote was interesting ... :-) ...

The principal investigator advocated exposing young children to germs when speaking at the American Museum of Natural History, according to Gothamist.

‘The best thing to do with newborns is roll them like sushi on the subway ground,’ he said.

[bboop]

‘The best thing you can do with your newborn is to roll them like sushi on the subway floor.” By far the quote of the day, for me. I think this study is fascinating if chilling.

[Autonomous User]

Buried deep, near the end was the most important detail:
“City dwellers’ immune systems are also equipped to handle all the microbes thrown at them during the typical day.”

[Hot Tabasco]

New York cootie alert!

[Gaffer]

In my lifetime, I’ve seen, read and heard about survival in places like the ghettos of India, etc. Total early immersion in a microbe, virus, mild disease environment. The ones that make it through childhood were/are immune to a lot of things.

My only problem is why do we have to tempt fate with this on a scale we already know the likes of which the CDC is ill-equipped to handle when it involves politically motivated irresponsible government neglect of immigrant health requirements.

[Gaffer]

Yeah, the ones that ‘make’ it through puberty....

[Beowulf9]

Grand Central - Mozzarella cheese

Lol.

[Thud]

Don’t drink the water and don’t breathe the air.

[azishot]

So what about trains, buses, cabs, schools, hospitals, supermarkets, malls, cars, truck stops, gas stations, etc., etc.? Oh, and don’t forget D.C.

I guess I should just sit here, don’t touch anything and stop breathing.

[firebrand]

Isn’t it? I’m not surprised by this at all. “Many germs exist in the subway.” Duh.

[Smokin' Joe]

As a good rule of thumb, be aware there are germs out there. You don't have to go all Howard Hughes over the fact, but limit touching your face, eyes, mouth, food, etc. without washing up first (or using hand sanitizer, whichever you prefer).

It stands to reason that with a greater number and variety of people, there will be a greater number and variety of germs, which is what makes the study interesting.

I wonder what a person would find in a place like North Dakota, where there are still a wide variety of people through here from the oil boom.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!