Abstract
BACKGROUND: The increasing use of telecommunication devices such as Wi-Fi modems and mobile phones in the recent years can change the cellular structure of microorganisms so the generation of electromagnetic waves has led to concern in the community whenever be exposed to these fields and may have harmful effects on human health. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this experimental study, standard strains of bacteria were prepared on Mueller-Hinton agar for bacterial growth to obtain 0.5 McFarland turbidity (1.5 × 10(8) CFU) of bacteria. Antibiotic susceptibility test using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was done. For Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, antibiotics susceptibility test was conducted. The test group was exposed to electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phone simulator with a frequency of 900 MHz and the control group were not exposed. RESULTS: The results revealed that increasing duration of exposure to electromagnetic waves emitted by the mobile simulators with a frequency of 900 MHz especially after 24 h of exposure, can increase bacterial resistance in S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. CONCLUSION: Several factors can cause bacterial resistance against antibiotics. One of these factors is the electromagnetic waves emitted from mobile simulator with a frequency of 900 MHz, which can increase the permeability of the cell wall of bacteria.