Some medical experts on Wednesday advised members of the public to wash their hands thoroughly after handling money to prevent infectious diseases.
They gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria.
A resident doctor at the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina, Dr. Tunde Akintoye, said that most bills and coins became contaminated overtime because they were being handled by many persons.
Akintoye said: “Research has shown that most notes carry germs and bacteria that can cause illnesses, particularly in the elderly and people with weak immune system.
“Some of the diseases caused by these bacteria include food poisoning, pneumonia, throat infection and vomiting.
“If one is not careful about observing proper hygiene, after coming in contact with dirty notes, one can develop urinary tract infection and lung infection.
“Frequent hand washing should become an integral part of us, especially before putting food in the mouth to prevent infectious diseases.”
A general physician at the General Hospital, Isolo, Lagos, Dr. Segun Akinlabi, also said that most paper money and coins were contaminated with germs.
Akinlabi said: “The notes and coins are widely used and exchanged many times.
“If some are contaminated with bacteria, there is the possibility of spreading these organisms from one person to another.
“Frequent hand washing is a good idea.”
Another expert, Dr. Bolanle Balogun, told NAN: “Currency notes serve as vehicles for transmitting infectious diseases to humans, as they are usually contaminated with micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi.
“The spread of the organisms can lead to infection of the skin, bones, kidneys and genitals.
“Handling of dirty and contaminated currency notes can also cause flu and cold.”
Balogun told NAN that dirty bills and coins were also hosts to micro organisms such as Escherichia coli, salmonella, yeast cells and streptococcus faecalis.
According to Balogun, E.coli is a bacterium, which lives in the digestive tract of humans and animals.
She said that harmful strains of E.coli could cause urinary tract infection, bloody diarrhoea, severe anaemia and kidney failure.
She said that salmonella infection could also spread from the intestines to the other body parts.
Balogun said that old paper money were more contaminated than new ones, since they had passed through many hands and situations.
Also, Dr. Kunle Adeyemi, Dietician, Federal Medical Centre, Lagos, said that simultaneous handling of money and food could cause an illness.
Adeyemi advised against putting fingers in the mouth before, during and after handling money.
“Some people are in the habit of sticking their fingers in their mouths before counting currency notes. It is not a safe and healthy practice,” she said.
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