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Bacterial contamination of Pakistani currency notes from hospital and community sources

Hasan Ejaz1, Azra Javeed2, Muhammad Zubair3

  • 1Hasan Ejaz, PhD, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences
|October 23, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Pakistani currency notes are heavily contaminated with bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains. This highlights the risk of currency notes spreading infections in both hospitals and communities.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Currency notes are frequently exchanged, creating a potential surface for microbial transmission.
  • Understanding the microbial load and antibiotic resistance patterns on currency is crucial for public health surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the bacterial contamination and antibiotic resistance profile of Pakistani currency notes.
  • To assess the role of currency notes as a potential source of infections in hospital and community settings.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective study was conducted on 100 Pakistani currency notes of four denominations collected from hospital and community sources.
  • Bacterial isolates were identified using Gram staining, colony morphology, and biochemical tests.
  • Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method.

Main Results:

  • 97% of currency notes were contaminated with 11 different bacterial species, including Klebsiella spp., Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS), and E. coli.
  • Gram-positive isolates showed resistance to penicillin and ampicillin.
  • No Gram-negative isolates were resistant to amikacin, cefoperazone-sulbactam, or piperacillin-tazobactam.

Conclusions:

  • Circulating Pakistani currency notes harbor pathogenic and multi-drug resistant bacteria.
  • Currency notes represent a significant potential vehicle for the transmission of nosocomial and community-acquired infections.
Abstract

Keywords:
BacteriaBanknotesContaminationPakistani currency

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