Microorganisms Associated With Naira Currency

Student: Chinecherem Anita Umeh (Project, 2025)
Department of Microbiology
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State

Abstract

Microbialtransmission,onthesurfaceofanycurrencynote,caneitherbethroughdirect(hand-to- handcontact)orindirect(foodorotherinanimateobjects)means.Toascertainthedegreeofbacterialload enumeratedduringthehandlingofmoneyandfooditems,particularlyoncurrencynotebydenominations ,shouldbeofpublichealthimportance.Despitetheavailableliteratureregardingmicrobialcontaminatio nofNigeriancurrencynotes,thereisstillpaucityofinformationabouthowmicrobialcontaminationdiffe rsacrossthedenominations.Thisstudywasundertakentoinvestigatemicroorganismsassociatedwithna iracurrencyinregardtopublichealth.Twentyfivedifferentnairacurrenciesrangingfrom20,100,200,50 0nairaandmintscurrency,whichwasusedasacontrol.ThenoteswerecollectedfromKekeriders,roadsid efoodvendors,Motorcycleriders,roadsidepettytraders,andlocalmarkettraders.Thenoteswerechosen onthebasisofdenominationsandphysicalappearance(Mint,Neat,dirty,verydirtyandmutilated).Thecu rrencieswereevaluatedformicrobialcontaminationusingNutrientAgar(NA)andSabouraudDextrose Agar(SDA)viapourplatetechnique.Themicrobialisolateswerecharacterizedbasedonmacroscopy,mi croscopy,biochemicalfeatures,andlactophenolcottonbluestainingforfungi.Thelowerdenominations :20and100yieldedhighermicrobialgrowthasrevealedintheColonyFormingUnitpermilliliter(CFU/ mL);6X102and4X102,respectively.ThebacterialspeciesidentifiedwereStaphylococcusaureus,Esc herichiacoli,Pseudomonasaeruginosawhileayeast- likeCandidaspecieswasalsoidentified.ThemostcommonbacteriumidentifiedwasStaphylococcusau reusfrom20naira,whichalsoharboredallthebacteriaandfungusisolatedinthisstudy.Thisstudyhasreve aledthatlowerdenominationofcurrencyismorecontaminatedduetoitshighusageintransactionandcare lessnessofthehandlers.Thepresenceofpathogenicbacteriaandyeastposesathreattomankindintermsof publichealthevaluation.Itisthereforeadvisedthatmoneyshouldbehandledinamannerthatdoesnotgetc ontaminatedwithdirt,disease-causingagentsorbecomeundulymutilated

Keywords
microorganisms associated naira currency
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