Contamination of currency notes with enteric bacterial pathogens

To determine the degree of faecal contamination of currency notes, samples of the notes that were in circulation in a local market in Rangoon were collected and examined bacteriologically to count the number of the total bacteria and faecal coliforms (TC, FC) using standard methods. TC and FC ranged from 0 to 2.9 X 10(7)/sq cm of currency notes and the isolation rates of pathogens increased during the hot wet season. Enteric pathogens, such as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Vibrio, and Salmonella were isolated from paper-money samples obtained from butchers and fish mongers. The study suggests that currency notes may carry enteric pathogens.