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Scientists have named the dirtiest currency
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
It will come as no surprise that banknotes can be carriers of pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms. American scientists decided to conduct research and find out what exactly banknotes can carry and which currency is the “dirtiest”.
Scientists were not shocked to learn that the "dirtiest" currency is the Indian rupee. The test showed that more than a quarter of the banknotes examined contained microorganisms that are sources of a wide variety of diseases - from sore throats and pneumonia to tuberculosis. The most "infectious" were damaged or worn banknotes - they were literally teeming with various pathogenic bacteria.
"We were not surprised to find that the Indian rupee is the dirtiest currency. Travel agents now urge their customers to wash their hands after handling or paying with rupees," says the study's author, Professor Charles Prober.
The risk of disease is really high: having the ability to penetrate the body not only through the mucous membrane, but also through microcracks in the skin of the palms, bacteria will certainly cause diseases in residents of developed countries who do not have immunity against them.
The US currency's performance was not much better. Microbiologists have found that dollars, which have been in circulation for a long time, contain many types of pathogenic bacteria. Banknotes were found to contain microorganisms that cause urinary tract and throat infections, meningitis and gastroenteritis. To become infected, it is enough to eat a sandwich with unwashed hands that have just held dollar bills. The culprit, as reported by Inpress.org.ua, is the widespread use of the dollar. Banknotes are in circulation all over the world and carry infections from one part of the world to another.
"The risk of becoming infected with something after contact with banknotes is much higher in sick and weakened people than in healthy and strong people," warns the professor.
However, one should also be wary of deliberate contamination of banknotes. Cases of "bioterrorism" have already been recorded in America. For example, during a roadside inspection in Pennsylvania, law enforcement officers detained a car carrying $250,000 in cash. While counting the bills, the law enforcement officers suddenly felt very unwell. One of the police officers was subsequently hospitalized. It later turned out that the banknotes were contaminated with staphylococcus.
Unfortunately, the hryvnia was not included in the list of currencies studied by American experts. However, domestic microbiologists confidently state that there is no need to worry about the danger of our banknotes. Having never been to exotic and distant countries, they only carry "local" microbes, to which Ukrainians already have immunity.
"Holding a hryvnia in your hands is no more dangerous than grabbing a handrail in public transport. Just after any contact with banknotes, before taking food with your hands, you need to wash your hands with soap. This should become a habit, just like washing your hands after being outside," Ukrainian infectious disease doctors note.
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