The MBTA Might Be Cleaner Than You Think, Harvard Germ Study Finds

BOSTON (CBS) – Believe it or not, the MBTA might not be as dirty as you think.

A recent Harvard University study had researchers combing the T for germs to see what kind of microbes commuters are passing around.

The results? It doesn't appear that riding the T puts you at a greater risk of getting sick than simply shaking someone's hand.

"We were surprised to find that the microbes that we collected of surfaces that people touch—and sometimes sneeze on—had low numbers of worrisome pathogens or antibiotic resistance genes," study author Curtis Huttenhower said. "These environments have drastically lower virulence profiles, in fact, than are observed in a typical human gut."

This is the first study of its kind on a mass transit system. Samples were collected from seats, walls, poles and the hanging grips, as well as ticketing machines inside stations.

Experts say looking at microbes on public transportation could be an early warning system for bigger health threats like a flu outbreak or a rise in antibiotic resistance.