Dirty money: UK coins and banknotes are a ‘breeding ground’ for bacteria Read more at

Bacteria associated with MRSA discovered on 2p, 5p, 10p, £1 and £2 coins- iNews

Academics at London Metropolitan University (LMU) tested a random sample of bank notes and coins and were shocked to find 19 kinds of bacteria lurking on them. This included 2 life-threatening bacteria: MRSA, which can cause kin infections, food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome, and Enterococcus faecium, which can cause blood, abdomen, skin and urinary tract infections.

Researchers are mostly shocked at the fact that these bacteria were found on metal, an element that "you wouldn’t normally expect to see germs surviving on,” said Dr Paul Matewele, professor of microbiology at LMU. This means that bacteria have adapted to this environmet which is very dangerous. Among the general population, 98% of people use cash, compared with 5% that say they rarely use cash.

This is an example of hard news- it provides surveillance for people and keeps them informed on what is happening in the world. This information may lead to a decline in the use of cash.