A STUDY OF BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL PROFILE OF CURRENCY NOTES AND COINS IN CIRCULATION- A POTENTIAL FOMITE FOR MICROBIAL TRANSMISSION

A total of 300 samples of currency notes and coins (Indian Rupee) of various denominations collected randomly from different groups of people such as Beggars, Shop keepers, Bank employee, Fishermen, Health care workers and Laboratory personnel were analyzed for microbial contamination by standard techniques. The study showed 100 microbial contamination, higher rate of contamination was with dirty notes than with clean and from samples of fishermen, laboratory personnel and health care workers followed by others. A total of 634 microorganisms were isolated among which the predominant ones are 435 (85.5) nonpathogens, 89 (14.5) pathogens and 110 (17) fungal isolates. The pathogenic isolates identified were Staphylococcus aureus(42.6) including 4 methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Enterococcus spp (15.7), Klebsiella spp (25.5) including 2 Extended spectrum -lactamase (ESBL) producers, Citrobacter spp(3),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(2), Proteus spp.(2) including one ESBL producing P.vulgaris and Enterobacter spp.(1). Most common fungal contaminants were Candida non albicans (33), Aspergillus spp.(39).Thus the contaminated currencies can act as potential fomite for drug resistant pathogenic microbial transmission. This emphasizes the need to practice standard precautions such as hand washing, avoidance of practices like counting currency using saliva while handling money and health education of the community about the risk of getting infection from contaminated currency.