ABSTRACT 

The automated Teller Machine (ATM) has been an important device in the banking sector and other financial institutions. The keyboards and screens of these devices (ATMs) that were situated in the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) and its environs were examined  in order to find out their microbial load potential, in order to find out whether they were contaminated with pathogenic or non-pathogenic microorganisms.  Swab sticks soaked with normal sterile saline were used to collect specimens from these devices,  especially those surfaces that people normally touch their hands during transactions – keypads and screens.  The Swab sticks were inoculated using the streak technique methods.  The results reveal that these machines that serve as cash dispensing device can be a potential disease dispensing machines as bacterial isolates of the number of samples analysied revealed microorganisms such as Staphylococcus spp is about 82.5% (33), Bacillus spp 62.5% (25), Escherichia spp, 22.5% (9) Streptococcus spp 15% (6) were found on the keyboards while fungal isolates of the samples analyzed includes microbes such as Rhizopus spp with about 47.5% (19), Aspergillus spp, 22.5% (9) and Penicillin spp, 20% (8) were found on the keypads.  These results give the impression that ATMs could be a potential ‘pathogen city’.  Therefore, adequate personal hygiene and regular routine cleaning of these machines by the bank’s authorities is recommended.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables vii

Abstract viii

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 ATM Means of Transmission 2

1.2 Effects of Hygienic Conditions on Surfaces 3

CHAPTER TWO 

LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) 4

2.2 History of ATM 4

2.3 Aims and Objectives 5

2.4 Microorganisms associated with the use of ATMs 6

CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHODS 9

3.1 Analysis Design 9

3.2 Collection of Samples 9

3.3 Processing of Samples 9

3.4 Equipment/Instrument Used 10

3.5 Isolation of Microorganism 10

3.6 Inoculation of Media 11

3.7 Characterization and Identification 11

3.8 Characterization of Bacterial Isolates 12

3.9 Identification of Bacteria Isolates 16

3.10 Determination of Occurrence 16

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS 17

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 

5.1 Discussion 26

5.2 Summary 27

5.3 Conclusion 28

5.4 Recommendation 28

References 30

LIST OF TABLES

Table Title Page 

 4.1 Morphological and biochemical characteristics of bacterial isolates 18

4.2:  Morphological characteristics of fungi isolates 19

4.3:  Percentage of occurrence of bacterial isolates from ATM Keyboards - 20

4.4:  Percentage of occurrence of bacterial isolates from ATM’s screens 21

4.5:   Percentage of occurrence of Fungi isolates from ATM’s keyboards 22

4.6:  Percentage of occurrence of fungi isolates from screens 23

4.7:  Percentage of occurrence of microbial contamination of ATM’s surfaces 24