Antibiogram Bacteria Isolate from Nigerian Currency Notes Obtained from Meat Vendors, North Bank Market Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Currency is one of the most potential vehicles in the transmission of pathogens. This study was designed to isolate, identify, and determine the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of bacterial pathogens isolated from different denominations of Naira notes. A total of sixty Naira notes samples ranging from N50.00 to N1000.00 were randomly collected from meat vendors at the North Bank Market Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Collected samples were analyzed using standard microbiological procedures. Antibiotic susceptibility test was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. The results for the morphological and biochemical tests revealed that the bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (40%), Staphylococcus aureus (30%), Klebsiella spp (20 %), and Escherichia coli (10 %). The isolation of Escherichia coli (10%) is in agreement with the research of Uneke and Ogbu (2007) who obtained 13.2 % E. coli from paper currency in Nigeria. Also, the presence of E. coli, with Klebsiella spp and Staphylococcus aureus corroborates with the work of Ofoedu et al. (2021) who isolated the same bacteria in varying degrees from Naira notes collected from local food vendors. Generally, the presence of enteric organisms in Naira note samples obtained from meat vendors could be as a result of poor hygiene of the meat vendors who obviously did not wash their hands after handling the meat before touching money as these organisms are found 5818 Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, December, 2021 Available online at Nwachi et al. 2021 Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 35(2): - 5814 – 5821 in the intestinal tracts of animals. This correlates with the findings of previous study of Yazah et al. (2012) who assessed the bacterial contamination of Nigerian currency notes and associated risk factors in Northern Nigeria. Also, the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Naira note samples as observed in this study corresponds with the research of Imarenzo et al. (2018) who isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and other organisms from Naira notes used in Wukari metropolis, Taraba state. Staphylococcus aureus is the only gram-positive bacteria that were isolated from Naira notes in this study, the bacteria may have been shed from the skin of individuals as the organism is a normal flora of the human skin (Chiller and Murakawa, 2001). Antibiotics susceptibility tests carried out on the isolated bacteria revealed that, all the isolates exhibited multi drug resistance traits as all the bacteria were highly resistant (100%) to Ciproflox, Norfloxacin, Reflaxine and Streptomycin. The isolates were 31% sensitive to antibiotics tested, 28% with intermediate result and the highest percentage which is 41% of resistance from isolated organisms to the tested antibiotics, this could be as a result of antibiotics abuse among the people which has led to multi drug resistance in the isolates. This study has demonstrated that Naira notes are potential vehicles in the transmission of bacterial pathogens from person to person. From the foregoing, citizens are therefore advised to wash their hands regularly with soap and water after handling Naira notes.