Electromagnetic Fields Impede Growth and Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus on Endotracheal Tubing¹

Staphylococcus aureus colonization of indwelling medical devices is difficult to eradicate with conventional antibiotics and often serves as a nidus for invasive infection. Herein, the effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) on the growth and attachment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on endotracheal tube (ETT) surfaces was investigated [1,2]. In particular, growth and adherence of MRSA on ETT surfaces with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle coating exposed to either continuous or pulsed wave electromagnetic fields was studied. Compared to no EMF controls, 92.6 ± 2.2% reduction in growth of MRSA bacteria for ETT samples treated with continuous-wave electromagnetic field (CW- EMF), and 74.2 ± 5.0% reduction in growth of MRSA bacteria for ETT samples treated with pulsed-wave electromagnetic field (PW-EMF) was noted. These reductions paralleled sharp reductions in MRSA bacterial attachment to ETT surfaces. Compared with controls, 91.2% reduction in bacterial attachment in CW-EMF treated ETT samples, and 88.6% reduction...