The effect of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on biofilm-forming bacterial strain

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) exposure on biofilm-forming bacterial strains. Two commercially available bacterial strains with well-known biofilm-forming abilities, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 43300) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 515759), were used to evaluate the impact of PEMF on biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility. The bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics was assessed under both PEMF-treated and untreated control conditions using the disk diffusion and E-test methods to determine the potential influence of electromagnetic exposure on antibiotic sensitivity. In addition, the effect of PEMF on biofilm production was examined by comparing treated and untreated groups. The results indicated that PEMF treatment led to a more significant reduction in biofilm formation in S. aureus compared to E. faecalis. When compared to the control groups, a clear inhibitory effect of PEMF on biofilm formation was observed. Moreover, notable differences in antibiotic susceptibility were detected between PEMF-treated samples and controls, suggesting that PEMF may not only reduce biofilm development but also enhance bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that PEMF has the potential to act as a supportive agent in antimicrobial therapies. In this context, PEMF could be considered a promising complementary approach in future combination treatment strategies aimed at combating biofilm-associated infections.