UNCLEAN SWEEP

UNCLEAN SWEEP


Dr. Philip Tierno, director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Medical Center and author of the “Secret Life of Germs,” says that 80 percent of all infectious diseases are spread through direct or indirect contact like kissing or touching doorknobs.

Here’s a list of the five filthiest spots in the city:

1. Touch screen ATM machines: “These machines are dirty because everyone touched the screen but nobody seems to wash them,” he says.
2. Public bathrooms: “People for some reason behave differently in these than in their own, and that’s what makes them disgusting,” he says.
3. Buses, trains and taxis: Tierno says that organisms, like fecal matter, linger in public transportation. Add a smoker, and the bacteria and germ levels skyrocket.
4. Escalators: Handrails, especially on hot and humid days, are germ covered. Plus, it’s easy to indirectly spread bacteria, particularly after you touch the handrail and touch your face.
Theaters and stadiums: Tierno says that any place in which people congregate is a breeding ground for bacteria.



Taken from the New York Post. Tuesday June 27, 2006. Pulse Health.