ABSTRACT

Comparative evaluation of microorganisms on naira notes used by meat and vegetable sellers was microbiologically analysis. Seven bacterial species and two fungal were isolated and identified by their cultural morphology, Gram’s reaction, biochemical reaction and sugar utilization test. Fungal isolated were identified by using lacto phenol – in- cotton blue staining technique.  The bacterial isolates include; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Proteus sp, Streptococcus sp, Klebsiella sp, Pseudomonas sp, Aspergillus sp and Yeast. The comparative of microbial count on both meat and vegetable sellers in Umuahia markets, where meat sellers has the highest microbial count with range of 4.6x103 (cfu/ml) to 6.0x103 (cfu/ml)  in mammy and Orie-ugba market. While vegetable sellers range from 4.5x103 (cfu/ml) to 5.2x103 (cfu/ml) on (THPC), also confirmed in (TCPC) that meat sellers in mammy and Amawom markets has the highest coliform count with range of 2.3x103 (cfu/ml) to 4.5x103 (cfu/ml) compared with vegetable sellers with 2.4x102 (cfu/ml) to 3.4x103 (cfu/ml) and (TFPC) for meat sellers in Ubani and Amawom markets range from 1.6x103 (cfu/ml) to 3.1x103 (cfu/ml) and on the vegetable sellers range from 1.5x103 (cfu/ml) Orie-ugba to 2.3x103 (cfu/ml) Ubani market respectively. The occurrence of microorganisms isolated from the notes were (22.86%) Staphylococcus aureus, (22.26%) Bacillus sp (11.43%) Escherichia coil (8.57%), Proteus sp (11.43%)  Streptococcus sp (8.57%)  Klebsiella sp Pseudomonas sp (14.29%) Aspergillus sp (15.33%) and Yeast (12.5% respectively). And antibiotic sensitivity results shows that all the bacteria isolates were sensitive to Ciprofloxacin, Septrin, Rifampincin, Ampiclox and Tarivid while Chloraphenicol, Nalidixic Acid and Reflaine found resistance to the bacterial isolates. This have shows that naira notes in circulation are highly contaminated with different types of bacteria and antibiotic resistant level could be a problem in the treatment of diseases caused by these isolates