TY - JOUR AU - Girma, Gosa PY - 2014/09/21 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Health Risk Associated with Handling of Contaminated Paper Currencies in Circulation: A review JF - American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences JA - ASRJETS-Journal VL - 10 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - UR - https://www.asrjetsjournal.org/index.php/American_Scientific_Journal/article/view/696 SP - 40-53 AB - <p>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<em> aureus</em>, <em>Salmonella</em> spp., <em>Citrobacter</em> spp., <em>Mycobacterium</em><em> leprae</em>, <em>Shigella</em> sp., <em>Streptococcus</em> spp., Pseudomonas<em> aeroginosa</em>, <em>Klebsiella</em> spp. and <em>Escherichia coli</em> were the dominant contaminants of paper currency samples. Furthermore, researches have also shown that paper currencies could be contaminated by several fungal pathogens like <em>Aspergillus niger</em>, <em>Aspergillus flavus</em>, <em>Rhizopus </em>spp., <em>Penicillium</em> spp., <em>Candida </em>spp., <em>Trichoderma</em> spp., <em>Trichoderma viride</em>, <em>Alternaria tenuis, A.</em><em> paraticus</em>, <em>Sporotrichum </em>spp. and  <em>Fusarium</em> spp. Besides, several studies revealed that, paper moneys were also contaminated by parasitic   species of different helminthes that include parasitic nematodes and tapeworm like <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em>, <em>Trichuris trichiura</em>, <em>Enterobius vermicularis</em>, hookworm<em>,</em> <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em>, and <em>Dipylidium caninum</em>.  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.</p> ER -