Antimicrobial Efficacy Testing of a Biomodulator Technology

Background: Due to the emergence of antibiotic and multi-drug resistant pathogens, there is a growing need for development of novel and effective antimicrobial therapeutics and devices. Infections have become the greatest threat to the life and recovery of the combat casualty who survives the immediate trauma of the insult. A Biomodulator technology* which generates microcurrent, electrical impulses that are transmitted by electrodes in the device through the skin to interface with the body’s internal peripheral nervous system for various therapeutic intervention. This technology is FDA approved for pain management.

Purpose: Our Study was focused on further evaluation of the handheld device as an anti-microbial therapeutic device. Antimicrobial testing was conducted against two bacterial wound pathogens by employing at least four different testing protocols.

Methods: Various concentrations of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures (103, 104, or 105 CFU/ml) were tested in four different experiments. We conducted anti-bacterial efficacy testing using the Biotransducer with spot inoculum on TSA (trypticase soy agar) plates; anti-bacterial efficacy testing using Pad with spot inoculum; anti-bacterial efficacy testing by using Pad placed on the bacterial lawn on TSA plate and efficacy testing by using Pad placed on air-dried bacterial culture on glass coverslip. We determined the optimal antimicrobial testing parameters (ex. distance, effective antimicrobial frequencies). Testing with Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultures (105 and 106 CFU/ml) demonstrated anti-bacterial efficacy.

Results: Results showed that dry testing environment is more optimal for demonstrating antimicrobial efficacy. Due to the emergence of antibiotic and multi-drug resistant pathogens, there is a growing need for development of novel and effective antimicrobial treatment modalities. Innovative wound care and anti-infective treatment modalities, particularly for resilient biofilms is urgently needed.

Conclusion: Our testing results demonstrated the potential of an FDA approved handheld Biomodulator technology for treating wound infections.