Bacterial contamination of Iraqi paper currency in circulation in Al-Nasiriyah City, Thi–Qar Province

الملخص EN

The aim of this study was to investigate the types of bacteria which contaminated the Iraqi paper currency in circulation in Al –Nasiriyah city, Thi – Qar province.

It was collected 75 paper currencies in circulation which included 15 of each one for five category of (250, 1000, 5000, 10,000, 25,000 ) dinars from different sources (fish vendors, vegetable sellers, cafeteria, officers, butchers) .the study was appeared the higher number of aerobic plate count (APC)were founded in denomination 1000 dinar in range ( 40 -900 )C.F.U.

/ ml, while the lowest number were in denomination 250 dinar in range (20-80) C.F.U .

/ ml .

Sixty five of different bacterial isolates were obtained from 75 samples of paper currency., the denomination 250 was contaminated with the highest number of isolates ,it recorded 18(27.7%)isolates .

Escherichia coli was predominated among other bacteria, it was registered 12(18.46%) followed by Micrococcus sp.(9(13.8%)).

Streptococcus sp.

was registered the lowest number (1(1.53%))among other isolates .The number of bacterial isolates that obtained from paper currency of fish venders was more than that in other possesses , it was reached 17 (26.15%), and the paper currency of Officers showed the lowest number of isolates(7(10.76%)).