Public health implications of <i>Salmonella</i> species contamination of naira notes obtained from butchers in Abakaliki meat market, Ebonyi state

Abstract

Daily transactions have made paper currencies to pass through many  hands, and pathogens become imposed on them before they are finally deposited in banks. This study evaluates the public health implications of Salmonella species contamination of naira notes obtained from butchers in Abakaliki meat market, Ebonyi State. A total of 95 samples of naira notes in different denominations (N5 to N1000) were randomly collected from butchers within Abakaliki metropolis between the months of March and May, 2016. All the naira note samples were analysed using standard  microbiological procedures. A total of nine (9.5 %) Salmonella spp isolates were obtained from the 95 naira note samples. All the Salmonella spp  isolates were completely resistant (100 %) to ceftazidime. The highest susceptibility frequency was observed for ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, meropenem, imipenem, and ofloxacin with values ranging from 88.9 % - 77.8 %. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean percentage resistance and susceptibility of the Salmonella spp isolates (P ˂ 0.05). Most of the Salmonella spp isolates exhibited multi-drug resistant traits as they were resistant to at least two different classes of antibiotics. The average multiple antibiotic resistance indices (MARI) of the Salmonella spp isolates was 0.35. This study shows that ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, meropenem, imipenem, and ofloxacin are still effective in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by Salmonella spp. Proper and hygienic handling of paper currencies is of public health importance so as to avert health challenges associated with microbial contamination of bank notes especially Salmonella spp.

Keywords: Salmonella, Naira notes, butchers, antibiotics, public health