Effect of static magnetic fields against some virulence factor of C.albicans: germ tube formation, adhesion ability and biofilm formation

Nada S Rezooqe

doi:10.24126/jobrc.2013.7.1.246

Abstract

In vitro, inhibitory effects of static magnetic fields in the type of two poles and negative and positive pole on some virulence factors belong to C.albicans as pathogenic microorganism was investigated in this study. According to the findings of this study static magnetic fields in the type of two poles and negative pole displayed a variable degree of inhibitory effects against this microorganism via its virulence factors such as: germ tube formation, adhesion ability and biofilm formation in which negative pole showed more strongly effect than two poles as inhibitory values ranged from 35% as germination ability, 30% adhesion ability after 3hrs of treatment and 2.2mg/disk dry weight as biofilm formation after 72hrs of treatment compared with the inhibitory values for two poles ranged from 30% as germination ability, 25% adhesion ability after 3hrs of treatment and 2.7mg/ disk dry weight as biofilm formation after 72hrs of treatment . Following our earlier demonstration, the effects of positive pole also investigated in this study as 10 % for germination ability, 10% adhesion ability after 3hrs of treatment and 3mg/ disk dry weight as biofilm formation after 72hrs of treatment. These results revealed that static magnetic fields in the type of negative pole may be useful as antifungal agent against Candida albicans.

Highlights

The electromagnetic field (EMF) is composed of both an electric and a magnetic field
These results revealed that static magnetic fields in the type of negative pole may be useful as antifungal agent against Candida albicans
The obtained results in this study suggested that static magnetic fields have an inhibitory effect on some virulence factor of C.albicans such as : germ tube formation and biofilm formation in different ratios according to the type of static magnetic fields used as two poles or that of negative pole ( North) and the time of exposure, in contrary to the effect of positive pole ( South) which has Stimulated effect with prolonged exposure, these results agree with others who reported that the stimulation or inhibition of microbial growth depend on the field strength, frequency and types of microorganism [3,4,6,17]