Abstract
The aim of the study is to determine the presence, type and nature of bacterial contamination on paper currency and coins in circulation. Total 96 paper currency and 48 coins of different denominations were randomly collected from butcher shop, vegetables seller, auto rickshaw and rickshaw man, chemist store, tuberculosis chest outpatient department (OPD) and general OPD from the different areas of Lucknow city in a sterile paper bags. A total of 249/92 bacteria, 49/24 fungal isolates and 1/0 parasite were obtained from the paper currency and coins respectively. Different bacterial species were isolated with the most common isolates being Bacillus species (60.41%, 47.91%) and followed by Escherichia coli (41.66%, 35.41%), Proteus species (39.58%, 42.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (35.41%, 12.5%), Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (28.12%, 31.25%), Staphylococcus aureus (20.83%, 23.1%), Diphtheroids (17.70%, 0%), Enterococcus species (11.45%, 0%), Streptococcus pyogenes (11.45%, 0%), Salmonella species (2.08%, 0%), Shigella species (1.04%, 0%) and acid fast Bacilli (2.08%, 0%). Different fungus that is, Aspergillus species (27.08%, 37.5%), Candida albicans (13.54%, 12.5%), Cladosporium cladosporioides (9.37%, 0%) and Ascari s egg (1.04%, 0%) were found in paper currency and coins respectively. These results suggest that the currency is commonly contaminated with microbes, and this contamination may play a role in the transmission of antibiotic resistant or potentially harmful organism. This work seeks to confirm microbial contamination of currency and also introduces the nature and levels of contamination of the Indian currency. The distribution of contamination was unexpectedly higher in unexpected locations, indicative of our wide ignorance and indifference toward contamination through this route.
Highlights
A currency refers to diverse denominations made of paper issued by the Reserve Bank of India or the nationalized banks and coins made of metal
The control is taken as negative control as new issued currency from bank that was never issued to public, testimonial is taken as the places where highest environmental contamination is predisposed such as a butcher shop, vegetable shop and positive from chemist shop, general and tubercular outpatient departments (OPDs)
There is a possibility that paper currency might act as environmental vehicles for the transmission of potential pathogenic microorganisms.[10]
Summary
A currency refers to diverse denominations made of paper issued by the Reserve Bank of India or the nationalized banks and coins made of metal. Contamination from the skin, anal region, wounds, nasal secretions and aerosols generated by sneezing and coughing are potential sources of transfer of microorganisms to paper currency during handling.[2]. As paper currency serves commonly as a mode of transaction; it is handled by various sets of population at various levels and conditions. This handling introduces same or other contamination that could infect the susceptible population
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