At least 100 Temple students in the past year reported having a rash on the backs of their legs which caused itchiness, redness and large bumps, according to reports by CBS 3 and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Some students told the Daily News they suspected the rashes were caused by sitting on benches at the Cecil B. Moore subway station while wearing shorts. The direct skin-to-surface contact may have transmitted the rash.
One student who spoke to the Daily News noticed the rash develop within 10 minutes of sitting on a bench at the station. She went to Student Health Services and was given a topical cream and later oral steroids as treatment. She redeveloped the symptoms after sitting on the bench again.
An SHS administrator told the Daily News the rash is not a major threat and there is no certain correlation between the rash and the subway benches.
The Broad Street Line station is one of the last in the city with wooden benches along the platforms instead of metal ones. It is the only location where SEPTA has received complaints about the rash.
A SEPTA spokeswoman told CBS 3 that in response to the complaints the benches were powerwashed, disinfected, painted and then sealed.
Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@temple.edu or on Twitter @JBrandt_TU.
