A Survey of Parasites on Nigerian Currency Notes in Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

A survey of parasites cysts and eggs on Nigerian currency notes in Mubi metropolis was carried out between September 2019 and March 2020. A total of one hundred (100) samples of lower denominations currency notes; 25 pieces of ₦5, ₦10, ₦20 and ₦50, were collected in separate polythene bags from traders, hawkers, butchers, students and travelers. Each note was rinsed in sterile 0.90% normal saline and the solution was centrifuged using the centrifuge machine and examine microscopically to recover parasite cysts and eggs. Of the one hundred samples examined, 30(30.0%) were contaminated with various species of parasites. The parasites encountered include Ascaris lumbricoides ova 9(30.0%), Hymenolopsi nana ova 7(23.3%), Giardia lamblia cysts 3(10.0%), Diphyllobothrium latum ova 3(10.0%) and Entamoeba histolytica cysts 8(26.7%). The naira notes were categorized based on physical appearances (dirty and mutilated). About 45% were dirty while 55% were mutilated. Five and twenty naira notes were the dirtiest each with 48%, while ten naira notes were the most mutilated 60%. Ten (22.2%) of the 45 dirty notes were contaminated, while among 55 mutilated notes 20(36.3%) of them were contaminated. Overall, fifty naira notes were the least contaminated with 5(16.7%) parasitic organisms, while ten naira notes were the most contaminated 10(33.3%). The study revealed that dirty naira notes are potential vehicles for parasitic infections to man during handling. Therefore, citizens should be educated on ways of handling money through personal hygiene by not abusing, mishandling or mutilating the naira. People should be encouraged to keep their money clean and secure places and not on dirty surfaces. Also, the Central bank of Nigeria should put in place fast retrieval system which will ensure that mutilated notes do not remain in circulation for too long.