Generally, the contamination of currencies with various microbial species is increasingly being reported. This usually results from improper handling during exchange of goods, services and certain environmental factors. This study on the bacteriological evaluation of the Nigerian paper currency (Naira notes) circulating in Owerri, Imo State was carried out with the aim of evaluating the prevalence of bacteria contaminants of Nigerian currency notes in circulation. A total of One hundred and twenty (120) Naira notes of ₦5, ₦10, ₦20, ₦50, ₦100, ₦200, ₦500 and ₦1000 denominations were collected in separate polythene bags from traders, students, hawkers, meat sellers, food vendors, taxi drivers, keke drivers and banks for the study. The notes were chosen on the basis of denominations and physical appearance (Mint, Neat, dirty, very dirty and mutilated). Each of the notes was inserted into a sterile bottle containing 10mls of distilled water and allowed to stand for twenty minutes. Double dilution of the solution was inoculated into Nutrient agar, MacConkey agar, Mannitol Salt agar and Salmonella and Shigella agar for viable counts. Further identification of the bacteria was carried out using standard morphological and biochemical tests. The data from this study were subjected to statistical analysis using percentage, charts and anova. The result from the analysis showed that, 82 (68.33%) out of the 120 samples evaluated were contaminated. The study showed that dirty naira notes are potential routes for bacteriological disease transmission to man during handling and constitutes a public health risk. Therefore, the appropriate authorities should embark on public enlightenment campaign targeted at the handlers and associated risks.
The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistant plasmids of P. aeruginosa is posing a major public threat and huge concern in hospital facilities. This study was done across Anambra and Imo States with a total number of 100 P. aeruginosa isolates, 50 from each State to determine the plasmid profile of multidrug resistant isolates. Methods of re-identifying P. aeruginosa were based upon cultural methods coupled with biochemical tests. To study the susceptibility of these isolates using disk diffusion method, seven (7) antibiotics were used namely: Piperacillin–tazobactam (100/10 µg), Ceftazidime (30 µg), Amikacin (30 µg), Ciprofloxacin (5 µg), Cefuroxime (30 µg), Ceftriazone (30 µg) and Gentamicin (10 µg). Plasmid extraction was done using alkaline lysis method after growing isolates resistant to more than four antibiotics on a nutrient broth. Agarose gel electrophoresis of plasmid DNA was carried out on 2% agarose gel slab in 1X TAE buffer. The results show that, the nutrient agar at 37˚C aerobically, P. aeruginosa isolates were recovered, which produced greenish-yellow pigment colonies, oxidase was positive and negative for gram stain. In Anambra, the result showed 100% resistance to Cefuroxime, Ceftazidime and Ciprofloxacin, 90% and 86% for Ceftriaxone and Piperacillin-tazobactem, 48% and 40% to Gentamicin and Amikacin respectively. Whereas in Imo state, the result showed 100% resistance to Ceftazidime and Ciprofloxacin, 80% to Ceftriaxone, Cefuroxime and Piperacillin-tazobactem while the least resistance was seen in Amikacin, and Gentamicin. Plasmid size ranging from 100bp to >1000bp was detected from most of the multidrug resistant isolates. Not all the isolates with multidrug resistance were found to possess plasmids. It can be seen from this study that multidrug resistance in P. aeruginosa is not strictly plasmid-dependent (mediated).
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