Parasite Contamination Of Nigerian Currency (Paper and Polymer Notes) In The Ihiala Local Government Area Of Anamber State, Nigeria.

Abstract

A six month study (July – Dec, 2010) was carried out in the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, to ascertain the parasite contamination of Nigeria Currency notes. A total of six hundred and forty (640) samples of N5, N10, N20, N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1000 denominations of both paper and polymer naira notes were collected from food vendors, churches, students, beggars, and banks in Ihiala L.G.A. They were grouped into polymer and paper notes and thereafter separated based on their physical appearances viz: mint, clean, dirty, very dirty and mutilated. Each currency of both paper and polymer notes were rinsed with normal saline and the solution centrifuged and then examined microscopically for parasite cyst and eggs. Hands used in counting the money were also swabbed separately and examined for parasite. Out of Six hundred and forty samples (640) examined, four hundred (400) were paper notes with 110 (27.5%) parasite contaminated on their surface, while two hundred and forty (240) were polymer notes with 14(5.8%) found contaminated with parasites. The isolated parasites were Entamoeba histolytica (9%) S (2%), Flagellates (3.5%) and lice(1.5%). The mutilated and very dirty notes were the most contaminated in both paper and polymer (55.6% and 12.2%) respectively. For denominations in paper currency, five naira notes were the most contaminated with (52%) while one thousand naira notes were the least contaminated (12%). For polymer, twenty naira notes were the most contaminated 11.1% while fifty naira were the least contaminated with (5%) five percent. Hands examination after counting money revealed eggs of mites, hookworm and Taenia spp which were only found in paper notes while in polymer no parasites were found. The study showed that dirty naira notes are potential routes for parasitic transmission to man during handling.