Bacterial contamination of Saudi "one" Riyal paper notes

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Public Health
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Fomites, such as paper currency, can harbor and transmit infectious microorganisms.
• Paper money is frequently exchanged and handled, increasing its potential for contamination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and types of bacterial contamination on Saudi one Riyal banknotes.
• To compare bacterial contamination levels between older (4th version) and newer (5th version) Riyal notes.

Main Methods:

• Collection of 200 Saudi one Riyal notes (100 of each version) from Jeddah.
• Culturing bacteria from the notes using blood agar and MacConkey agar.

Main Results:

• 88% of all examined notes showed mixed bacterial growth.
• Older (4th version) notes exhibited higher contamination rates and a wider variety of bacteria compared to newer (5th version) notes.
• Commonly identified bacteria included Gram-positive bacilli, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and potentially pathogenic species like Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Escherichia coli.

Conclusions:

• Saudi one Riyal paper notes are commonly contaminated with bacteria, including potentially pathogenic species.
• Banknote contamination increases with handling, suggesting a role in disease transmission.
• Regular cleaning or replacement of frequently handled currency may be warranted to mitigate public health risks.