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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, January 2009, p. 41-45, Vol. 53, No. 1
0066-4804/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AAC.00680-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The Electricidal Effect: Reduction of Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas Biofilms by Prolonged Exposure to Low-Intensity Electrical Current{triangledown}

Jose L. del Pozo,1,2 Mark S. Rouse,1,2 Jayawant N. Mandrekar,3 James M. Steckelberg,1,2 and Robin Patel1,2,4*

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine,1 Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory,2 Division of Biostatistics,3 Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota4

Received 23 May 2008/ Returned for modification 12 August 2008/ Accepted 17 October 2008

The activity of electrical current against planktonic bacteria has previously been demonstrated. The short-term exposure of the bacteria in biofilms to electrical current in the absence of antimicrobials has been shown to have no substantial effect; however, longer-term exposure has not been studied. A previously described in vitro model was used to determine the effect of prolonged exposure (i.e., up to 7 days) to low-intensity (i.e., 20-, 200-, and 2,000-microampere) electrical direct currents on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms. Dose- and time-dependent killing was observed. A maximum of a 6-log10-CFU/cm2 reduction was observed when S. epidermidis biofilms were exposed to 2,000 microamperes for at least 2 days. A 4- to 5-log10-CFU/cm2 reduction was observed when S. aureus biofilms were exposed to 2,000 microamperes for at least 2 days. Finally, a 3.5- to 5-log10-CFU/cm2 reduction was observed when P. aeruginosa biofilms were exposed to electrical current for 7 days. A higher electrical current intensity correlated with greater decreases in viable bacteria at all time points studied. In conclusion, low-intensity electrical current substantially reduced the numbers of viable bacteria in staphylococcal or Pseudomonas biofilms, a phenomenon we have labeled the "electricidal effect."

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Divisions of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905. Phone: (507) 538-0579. Fax: (507) 284-4272. E-mail: patel.robin{at}mayo.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 27 October 2008.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, January 2009, p. 41-45, Vol. 53, No. 1
0066-4804/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AAC.00680-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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