OMG! Do you know your currency notes carry deadly bacteria?

The currency notes in your wallet could be the carriers of deadly bacteria called pathogens which have antibiotic resistance genes.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Next time you touch those currency notes in your wallet, beware! These currency notes could be the carriers of deadly bacteria called pathogens which have antibiotic resistance genes.

A research conducted by the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) has identified pathogens on the currency notes can lead to several skin diseases, fungal and gastro-intestinal infections, respiratory disorders and even tuberculosis.

The research has found that an average Indian currency note roughly has Eukaryotic species such as fungi (70 percent), bacterial populations (9 percent) and viruses (1 percent).

The samples mostly comprised notes of Rs 10, 20 and 100 denomination which are widely used at street vendors, grocery shops, snack bars, canteen, tea shops, hardware shops, chemists and other places.

Though you can not completely avoid touching these notes, as a precautionary measure you can follow hygienic practices and sanitise hands after handling these notes for better safety.