Bacteria on London underground could be similar in transport systems worldwide

An academic who said bacteria made London's world famous metro network the dirtiest method of transport in the British capital, told Xinhua on Thursday that the same problem could be affecting other transport networks across the world.

Dr. Paul Matewele, an expert in microbiology and immunology, led a team that put London's public transport under the microscope. Taking swabs from taxi cabs, London buses, and underground tube lines, the team ran a test to discover how dirty public transport in the capital really is.

With as many as 22 different types of bacteria found on certain tube lines, the underground was generally the dirtiest method of transport throughout London, they said.

The Metropolitan line was the cleanest in their test, yielding 11 types of bacteria, while the Victoria line was the dirtiest with 22 kinds of bacteria on board, including the deadly superbug klebsiella pneumoniae.

Matewele, from London Metropolitan University's microbiology department, told Xinhua Thursday that the swab results had surprised him in regards to the diversity of microbial species and the presence of gut flora.

"Bacteria from rodents like rats and mice were also found upon tube lines, along with traces of faecal bacteria and bacteria from sewage. These can cause water infections or skin infections like abscesses if you come into contact with them," he added.

"In terms of other major cities, I would speculate that the results would be similar," he said.

Matewele, a regular user of the Piccadilly line of the London subway, said people with a fully functional immune system will not be affected by the bacteria, but he would start to worry if there was an increasing amount of human pathogen hazard group 3.

"So far the only ones we isolated were hazard group 2. I suppose if the lines were disinfected and people washed their hands before eating after travelling then the risk of infection is reduced. It is the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes that may pose a hazard," he added.

Every day, 12.8 million people use London's underground lines, buses, and taxis.

"It can be a nightmare, but the real horror is the invisible, sickness-causing bacteria that's riding alongside you," said Matewele's report.

The London bus routes they tested had between 11 and 13 kinds of bacteria, while private hire taxis had between 11 and 14, suggesting these methods could be some of the cleanest ways to get around the capital. Endit