Health Risk Associated with Handling of Contaminated Paper

Paper currencies could be one of the most potential vehicles to transmit diseases amongst the people. The daily transactions have made the paper currency to pass through many hands and pathogens become imposed on them before they are finally deposited in banks. Modern scientific studies have confirmed the presence of various pathogenic bacteria on paper currencies. Amongst others, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella sps, Citrobacter sps, Mycobacterium leprae, Shigella sps, Streptococcus sps, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Klebsiella sps and Escherichia coli were the dominant contaminants of paper currency samples. Furthermore, researches have also shown that paper currencies could be contaminated by several fungal pathogens like Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus sps, Penicillium sps, Candida sps, Trichoderma sps, Trichoderma viride, Alternaria tenuis A. paraticus, Sporotrichum sps and Fusarium sps. Besides, several studies revealed that, paper moneys were also contaminated by parasitic species of different helminthes that include parasitic nematodes and tapeworm like Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, hookworm, Strongyloides stercoralis, and Dipylidium caninum. Therefore, paper currency is generally contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms and this contamination may play a significant role in the transmission of potentially harmful microorganisms that are resistant to commonly used antibiotics and therefore represents risks and public health hazards to the community and individuals handling paper currencies. So, there needs frequent awareness development efforts to improve the poor hygienic practices being exercised while handling paper currencies. Corresponding author: Gosa Girma, Department of Biology, Asella College of Teachers’ Education, Asella, Ethiopia. E-mail: [email protected] Received Date: January 29, 2015 Accepted Date: March 18, 2015 Published Date: March 24, 2015 Citation: Girma G. Health Risk Associated with Handling of Contaminated Paper Currencies in Circulation: A Review (2015) J Food Nutr Sci 2(1): 49-54. Int J Food Nutr Sci | Volume 2: Issue 1 www.ommegaonline.com