NAIRA NOTES: A VECTOR FOR DISSEMINATING PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS

The possibility that money might act as environmental vehicles or the transmission or potential pathogenic microorganisms was suggested in 1990 by (Abram and waterman, 1972), paper currency is widely use for exchange of goods and services in countries worldwide. According to central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) the expected lifespan of the naira notes is 24 months but the mishandling reduces to less than 6 months. Microbial contaminant may be transmitted, either directly through hand-to-hand contact, or indirectly via food or other inanimate objects. The practices of licking or applying saliva to the finger while counting paper money is worth mentioning as an important potential route of exposure to bacteria pathogen. Market women put money in their bra should stop as the study has showed that microorganism associate with naira notes (mutilated) could be a source of contracting disease other recommendation are the washing of hands thoroughly by food handlers, whether at the restaurants or at home and most importantly the improvement of personal hygiene.