title: Magnetic field enhancement of antibiotic activity in biofilm forming Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: Device related infection initiated by biofilm bacteria are often difficult to resolve with antimicrobial therapy. Study results indicate that application of static magnetic fields may enhance the activity of gentamicin against biofilm forming Pseudomonas aeruginosa adherent to a polymer substrate. Results indicate a maximal reduction of 86.5 +/- 7.2% (n = 6) in the number of adherent viable bacteria compared with a control for samples exposed to a 5 gauss (G) magnetic field and gentamicin. The effect appears to be limited to magnetic fields between 5 and 20 G. Experiments using glass, Chronoflex (Polymedica, Golden, CO), Biomer (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ), and polystyrene substrate showed that the effect was independent of substrate surface. Autoradiograms from In111 uptake experiments showed that bacteria colonizing the substrate surface were significantly reduced in samples subjected to a magnetic field and gentamicin.
authors.affiliation: Artificial Heart Research Laboratory, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Grissom
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Mohammad
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018441:Biofilms; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins