MICROBIAL PROFILE AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS ISOLATED FROM PAPER CURRENCIES CIRCULATING IN SOME RESTAURANTS AND BUTCHERIES IN HAWASSA, SIDAMA, ETHIOPIA, 2020-21

ABSTRACT

Currency notes could play a signicant role in transmitting pathogenic microorganisms amongst individuals in the society. This study was aimed to determine the microbial prole and Antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial pathogens isolated from Ethiopian paper notes in circulation. 64 currency paper notes of different denomination were tested for bacterial contamination using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility proles of the isolates were determined with approved methods. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Overall mean AMBC was 4.08 log units, with the highest 6.58 log units recorded from denomination 5 followed by 4.50, 3.03, 2.20 log units from denominations 10, 50 and 100 respectively. Total Coliforms (TC) displayed the same pattern with the highest mean counts of 6.52 log units, from denomination 5 and lowest counts of 2.19 log units from denomination 100. Out of 64 currency notes, 35 (54.7%) were contaminated with bacteria. The predominant bacteria isolates were E. coli (60.5%), Salmonella spp. (23.6%) and Shigella spp. (13.2%). Each isolate was resistant to four or more antibiotics tested. All isolates were resistant against Cefepime and Tetracycline and sensitive to Ceftriaxone. This study revealed that currency notes are contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and in most cases these bacterial isolates were resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Therefore, contaminated notes are identied as potential public health threat, because pathogens can be spread by circulating the notes and become source of infection. Awareness creation is important among public in this regard.