By Miftaudeen Raji

The bank could be a potential hotspot for dissemination of infectious diseases, according to new research.  The scourge of infectious disease was heavily felt across West Africa with the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014. 

The first case of Ebola was reported in Nigeria in July 2014, claiming the lives of 8 people. The outbreak served as a stark reminder of the country’s vulnerability to infectious diseases. This harrowing experience inspired researchers like Ayomikun Kade to delve deeper into the potential sources of pathogenic microorganisms in public spaces to curtail their spread quickly.

 This research centered around investigating the quality and occurrence of microorganisms in indoor air, counters, and counting machines in banks located around some metropolis in Lagos, Nigeria, with a significant focus on bacterial and fungal pathogens. 

During the Ebola outbreak, Nigeria faced the daunting challenge of curtailing the spread of the virus while maintaining essential services, including banking operations. The discovery of microbial contamination in currency counting machines, counters, and indoor air in Lagos banks raises concerns about the potential role of these surfaces and places in transmitting infectious agents like the Ebola virus. 

Ayomikun Kade and his colleagues, Dr. Elizabeth Omotayo and Omobolanle Agbetile collected samples from four commercial banks in Lagos, the epicenter of Nigeria’s Ebola outbreak. The results were alarming: all samples from counting machines and counters were contaminated with bacteria and fungi, with bacteria having a higher population than fungi. 

The study identified ten bacterial species and five fungal species. The bacteria include pathogenic organisms such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc., while the fungi include Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Candidaspp., Rhizopus spp. And Mucor spp.

Many of these organisms are pathogenic and resist the therapeutic activity of conventional antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and rifampicin. While the Ebola virus was not detected explicitly in this study, the presence of these microorganisms highlights the potential for banks to serve as hotspots for spreading infectious diseases. 

Although banks have a professional setting, it is important to stress that customers come from different professions ranging from high paying jobs like doctors to menial workers like bus conductors and mechanics. These different customers tend to bring several organisms associated with their workplace into the bank, which can pose a severe challenge to bankers and customers.

Furthermore, most banks in Lagos are not well-aerated, which does not allow proper ventilation, which is also a challenge. Our findings stressed the importance of vigorous public health measures and infection control practices in public spaces. We recommended the frequent disinfection process, even within service hours within our banks, to ensure a high level of sanitation.

Ayomikun and his team are contributing to developing strategies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by shedding light on the hidden dangers of microbial contamination in everyday spaces. Their work has the potential to inform public health policies and practices, not only in Nigeria but also in other countries facing similar challenges.

As Nigeria grapples with the lingering effects of the ongoing threat of infectious diseases, researchers like Ayomikun Kade remain at the forefront of the battle. Their dedication to 

understanding and mitigating the risks posed by microbial contamination in public spaces is a testament to their commitment to safeguarding public health and building a more resilient future for all Nigerians.

His work not only informs scientific understanding but also offers tangible solutions that have the potential to positively impact the lives of countless individuals in Nigeria and around the world. By shedding light on the hidden dangers of microbial contamination in everyday spaces, Ayomikun is paving the way for a healthier, safer future for all.”