Isolation and identification of causative agents from some Iraqi banknote currency

الملخص EN

One hundred and twenty eight currency notes samples 250, 500, and 1000 Iraqi Dinars (ID) values were collected from students, markets, banks, and hospitals in Erbil city, Iraq.

The results showed that all collected samples were contaminated with one or more bacteria and fungi species representing 100 % contamination and none from the new (control) notes.

Seventeen bacterial species and twelve fungal species were isolated, which include Staphylococcus aureus (83.3 %), Streptococcus pyogenes (83.3 %), Pseudomonas species (83.3 %), Aspergillus niger (83.3 %), Klebsiella species (75 %), Staphylococcus epidermidis (66.6 %), and Escherichia coli (66.6 %) being the most prevalent.

The lower values of currency notes (250 ID and 500 ID) were highly contaminated.