The MTA said a rat scratched a woman sitting on an A train in Columbus Circle around 8 a.m. Friday morning on the leg, a story that had subway riders grossed out. NY1's Tina Redwine filed the following report.

Riders waiting for the A train on Friday were disgusted by reports that a passenger was scratched by a rat while riding the A train.

Sources say a woman was riding the train on its way down from West 125th Street to 59th Street when she felt something. She looked down and saw that a rat had crawled up her left pant leg. When she pushed it off, the rat scratched her leg and scurried off.

The MTA says the woman got off at 59th Street and was taken to St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital where she was treated and released.

"I think it's really gross," said one rider who heard the story. "I'm going to take the bus."

The MTA says its extremely rare to see a rat on a subway car or to be scratched by one.

But back in 2011, a video posted on YouTube showed a rat on a Lexington Avenue 4 train that crawled onto a sleeping passenger.

And in October, NY1 easily found rats at the 86th Street station at Central Park West.

"They need to clean up the stations," said a commuter.

The MTA says it is having supervisors double check the cleanliness of stations. It says it routinely cleans stations, cars and tracks of debris that attracts rodents. Contractors also set bait for the rats.

The MTA is asking the public not to eat on subways and buses. If you have to eat, they ask that you please put your trash in a trash can.