Touching Prague statues and other tourist rituals may be too 'hands-on' for your health, say scientists

Atlas Biomed, a UK-based healthcare company specializing in DNA and gut microbiomes has created the first-ever microbial map of Europe’s iconic monuments, analyzing levels of staphylococcus, xanthomonadaceae, and pseudomonas swabbed from 24 famous statues across 13 cities.

Statues tested include the Juliet Capulet statue in Verona, the Lions in London’s Trafalgar Square, the Oscar Wilde statue by Charing Cross (notable for having the highest bacterial diversity in Europe) and Bender’s Book from Saint Petersburg (found to have the least diverse bacterial brew). 

Cities such as Prague where tourists get a little more hands-on with their monuments, saw high rates of staphylococcus, a bacteria known to cause sepsis, conjunctivitis, cystitis, and endocarditis. The St. John Nepomuk statue was found to have one of the highest rates of staphylococcus in Europe. It’s bacterial partner in crime? The Sherlock Holmes statue in London.

Considering some 30,000 people cross the Charles Bridge during the summer season alone, it’s no surprise that the statue is a germaphobe’s nightmare. But the scientists behind the study say they aren’t being alarmist, just advising those who plan to visit a statue (or touch or rub it for luck) to practice good hygiene afterward.

“Don’t rub your eyes after touching a statue, and always wash your hands with clean water and soap after visiting these tourist spots. If that’s not possible, keep tea tree oil in your bag, which is naturally antibacterial,” researchers advise. They also say that just because a bacterium has the potential to make you ill, it doesn’t mean it will.

“The diversity of microorganisms that are present in, on and around humans comprise a significant component of overall health,” says Sergey Musienko, CEO of Atlas Biomed. “There are a lot of factors that enter into this equation, like the quantity of bacteria present and how weak or strong a person’s immune system is.”