Effect of Magnetic Field on Growth and Antibiotic Sensitivity of Escherichia coli

The aim of this work was to study the effect of different magnetic intensities on the dry weights and the antibiotic sensitivity of E. coli bacteria. E. coli were exposed to three magnetic intensities (130, 260, and 390 T) for two-time intervals (24 and 72 hours). The results indicated that exposure of the bacteria to different magnetic fields caused changes in the dry weight after the exposure period of 24 hours, but there was a slight decrease after the exposure period of 72 hours. Further, changes in antibiotic sensitivity were observed after an exposure period of 24 h. E. coli, where bacteria became more sensitive to certain antibiotics such as amoxicillin, nalidixic acid, and erythromycin, while after a 72-hour exposure period, they became more resistant to the same antibiotics. In conclusion, the results of the current investigation show that exposing bacteria to static magnetic fields of varying strengths can considerably affect their susceptibility and resistance to antibiotics.