Magnitude of bacterial contamination of Ethiopian paper money and coins currency and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern from food handlers in Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2021-09
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: Money is the items most commonly passed from hand to hand and can
contaminate. Simultaneous handling of food and such contaminated currency could result in
foodborne infection, and cause of food poisoning. Microorganisms commonly present on
banknotes include S. aureus, E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Streptococcus, Acetobacter spp., Bacillus
spp., Salmonella spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Enterobacter spp. handling of food and money by
meat butchers, Fruit and Juice servers, and waiters, or vendors can have serious consequences as
the food they serve is ready to eat.
Objective: To determine the Magnitude of Bacterial contamination of Ethiopian paper notes and
coins currency and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern from food handlers in Nifas Silk
Lafto Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020/2021.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 15, 2021 to May 30, 2021 in NSL
Sub-city. The sample of currency was randomly collected from butchers, fruit and juice houses,
hotels and restaurants. A general of 200 Ethiopian paper cash and coins were collected
aseptically into sterile polythene bags and Culturing by inoculated on blood agar, MacConkey
agar and chocolate agar. Then isolated bacteria were assessed for Gram reaction, and conducting
biochemical tests. Statistical data analysis involved descriptive analysis of bacterial isolates.
Results: A general of 200 Ethiopian paper cash and coins were analyzed for bacterial
contamination. 287 different bacteria were isolated from 183 (91.5%) currencies. Types of
bacteria isolated from the notes were Coagulase-negative staphylococci (51.60%), Bacillus
species (12.20%), S. aureus (8.70%), Entrobacter spp. (8.0%), Citrobactor spp. (3.50%), Klebsella
spp. (2.80%), Shigella spp. (2.80%), Serratia (2.40), Streptococcus spp. (1.70), E. coli (1.40%),
Salmonella spp. (1.40), Pseudomonas (1.40), Proteus spp. (0.70), and Acitinobacter spp. (0.30).
The highest resistance rates in gram-positive bacteria were against penicillin, erythromycin and
clindamycin, whereas ampicillin was the most resistance gram-negative bacteria.
Conclusion: Ethiopian paper money and coins currency reported that confirmed currency might
be a vector playing an important role in the transmission of pathogenic bacteria in the community.
Potentially pathogenic bacteria that are highly resistant to the most widely used antibiotics and are
a threat to public health.
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Keywords
Bacterial contaminations, Ethiopia, paper currency, coins currency, antimicrobial susceptibility, food handlers.