title: Assessment of the Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields onToxoplasma gondii.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) onToxoplasma gondiihave not been explained yet. The aim of this study was to assess the possible effects of ELF-EMF on growth, survival time and viability ofToxoplasma gondii. In addition, the life span ofToxoplasmainfected animals was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty adult male BALB/c mice were used for in vivo and in vivo experiments in Laboratory of Biopyhsics and Parasitology of Medical Faculty, Adnan Menderes University, Turkey, in 2010. During in vivo experiments, pulsed and continuous EMFs were applied for 5 d to the infected mice. During in vivo experiments, pulsed and continuous EMF was applied to the tachyzoites within peritoneal exudates for 8 h/d at 4 °C and the tachyzoites were then injected to mice. In both experiments, the number ofT. gondiiin peritoneal exudates was counted andT. gondiiprotein bands patterns were investigated with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western Blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pulsed and continuous EMF exposure reduced the number ofT. gondiitachyzoites in comparison to controls. However, no statistically significant differences were observed at the patterns of protein bands among the samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EMF exposure induces a decrease in the number ofT. gondii. Further studies are required to understand the mechanism of EMF on intracellular parasites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Health Sciences, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sercin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozlem-Caliskan
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Medical Faculty, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ertabaklar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Institute of Health Sciences, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey; Department of Biophysics, Medical Faculty, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Dincer
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bilgin
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Medical Faculty, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ertug
keywords: Electromagnetic field; Mice; Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; Toxoplasma gondii; Western Blotting