Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Bacteria Isolated from Nigerian Currency Note in Enugu State, Nigeria
Adonu, Cyril Chekwube
Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Okpara, Udochukwu Gospel *
Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Nigerian currency notes act as fomites and thus can transmit pathogenic microorganisms from one person to another.
Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacteria isolated from Nigerian currency notes circulating in Enugu East local government area of Enugu State.
Methods: Isolation, characterization and antibiotic sensitivity tests were done using standard methods.
Results: A total of 632 bacterial strains comprising 13 different bacterial species were isolated and identified from the Nigerian currency notes. The respective isolation rates of the isolates were Staphylococcus aureus(35.3%), E.coli (15.0%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.5%), Bacillus sp (13.6%), Salmonella sp (2.8%), Klebsiella sp (10.1%), Streptococcus sp (7.3%), Acinetobacter sp (1.6%), Serratia marcescens (1.7%), Proteus mirabilis (3.8%), Enterococcus faecalis (2.8%), Citrobacter sp (3.0%) and Actinomycete sp (0.3%). The Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria showed resistance to cloxacilline (87%) and amoxicillin (84%). Further, 93.4% of all the bacterial isolates had a multi-antibiotic resistance index (MARI) >2 and the rest of the isolates (6.5%) had a MARI < 2.
Conclusion: Nigerian currency notes harbour bacteria. Many of these bacteria are multidrug resistant organisms.
Keywords: Prevalence, bacteria, antibiotic resistance, MARI