superbugs in recent years, however, has given added urgency to the search for new ways to reduce the transmission of bacteria.According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2019, there are 2.8 million antibiotic resistant infections in the United States each year, causing an estimated 35,000 deaths.Most of the early research into the bactericidal effects of electricity involved relatively large currents or electric fields.
More recently, studies have suggested that a current of less than 5 thousandths of an amp applied for at least 72 hours can kill bacteria by damaging their membranes.But it has been unclear exactly how electricity destroys the bacteria and whether even lower currents might work.