Microbial Contamination of Global Currencies: A Systematic Review of Literature

ABSTRACT

Money has mass circulation among the general public and hence has the potential to transmit disease-causing microorganisms. Categories of pathogenic microorganisms that have been found on money notes include bacteria, fungi, parasites, moulds, yeast, and some viruses. It has been observed that banknotes provide a large surface area for the breeding of pathogenic microbes, resulting in a high load of infectious agents, which can give rise to diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, renal infections, peptic ulcers, and lung diseases. The aim of this study is to systematically review high-quality research articles focusing on microbes found on global currency. This study systematically reviewed literature on the microbial contamination of money based on research done by various scientists around the world. A total of 12 articles were reviewed using the GRADE system after being streamlined from 12,742 articles that were obtained using the PubMed search engine. 11 out of the 12 selected articles focused on the microbial contamination of currency notes/ coins, while 1 paper focused on the metagenomic composition of currency notes. From the literature reviewed, the common microorganisms found on money include bacteria, fungi, viruses, moulds, yeasts, and parasites. The microbial load of these microorganisms was also recorded, with bacteria having the highest count. Five of the papers reviewed were of a ‘High’ GRADE and the other seven were of a ‘Moderate’ GRADE. This study has shown through the review of other literature that poor money handling practices like keeping money in pockets and unhygienic environments increase the microbial load found on such money. Some diseases/infections that can be transmitted by microbes found on money include diarrhoea, pneumonia, sore throat, ascariasis, etc.

Keywords: currency, bacteria, microbial, contamination, money, systematic review. 

Table of Contents

1. Approval……………………………………………………………………………2

2. Dedication…………………………………………………………………………...3

3. Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………...4

4. Abstract……………………………………………………………………………...7

5. Definition of terms…………………………………………………………………..8

6. Chapter one

6.1 Background……………………………………………………………………...9

6.2 History of Money……………………………………………………………….9

6.3 Microbes……………………………………………………………………….10

6.4 Money as a medium of transmission…………………………………………….12

6.5 Challenges with prevention…………………………………………………….13

6.6 Drug-Resistant Microorganisms……………………………………………….13

6.7 Statement of Problem………………………………………………………….14

7. Chapter two (Review of related literature) ………………………………………...18

7.1 Microbes found on currency notes…………………………………………….20

7.2 Diseases transmitted…………………………………………………………....21

7.3 Highest occurring microorganisms…………………………………………….23

7.4 Notes with highest and lowest contamination…………………………………25

7.5 Resistance……………………………………………………………………...25

8. Chapter three (Research Methodology) …………………………………………31

8.1 What is systematic review?...............................................................................32

8.2 Selection process …………………………………………………………….36

8.3 Grading criteria ……………………………………………………………37

9. Chapter four

9.1 Presentation of results…………………………………………………...….40

9.2 Microbes…………………………………………………………………...44

9.3 Quality assessment………………………………………………………....45

10. Chapter five

10.1 Discussion………………………………………………………………...47

10.2 Conclusion……………………………………………………………….48

10.3 Recommendation…………………………………………………………49

11. References……………………………………………………………………..50

12. Appendix………………………………………………………………………54