Microbial contamination of Nigerian currency: a potential health risk to handlers

Abstract

Dirty Nigerian currency notes in circulation were sampled from market women and men in four markets in Cross River and Imo States of Nigeria, and analysed microbiologically for possible presence of pathogens, using standard methods. All the notes were observed to harbour both gram positive and gram-negative pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Out of 112 samples screened bacteriologically, Streptococcus species showed the highest frequency of 36(28.6%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus with a frequency of 31(24.6%). Others were E. coli 24(19.0%), Bacillus cereus 12(9.5%), Klebsiella species 13(10.8%) and Pseudomonas 10(8.0%). N20 and N100 denominations with contamination rates of 28(22.2%) and 24(19.1%) respectively were most contaminated, implying that they were mostly in circulation. Among the pathogenic fungi isolated from 112 samples, Aspergillus niger 8(19.1%) and Absidia species 9(17.0%) exhibited the highest frequency. Mucor species, Penicillium and Epidemophyton species each showed a frequency of 8(15.1%). Rhizopus species and Geotrichum candida had frequencies of 7(13.2%) and 5(9.4%) respectively. The antimicrobial sensitivity and resistance of the bacterial isolates were about 50:50% which portends a serious health problem. It is concluded that the dirty Nigerian currency in circulation is a potent means of transmitting infections, and therefore constitutes a great health hazard in Nigeria, unless there is legislation on the proper handling of the currency.

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Global Journal of Mathematical Sciences Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 35-40