Biostimulation of tissues by low intensity lasers has been described on a photobiological basis and clinical protocols are recommended for treatment of various diseases, but their effects on DNA are controversial. The objective of this work was to evaluate effects of low intensity infrared laser exposure on survival and bacterial filamentation in Escherichia coli cultures, and induction of DNA lesions in bacterial plasmids. In E. coli cultures and plasmids exposed to an infrared laser at fluences used to treat pain, bacterial survival and filamentation and DNA lesions in plasmids were evaluated by electrophoretic profile. Data indicate that the infrared laser (i) increases survival of E. coli wild type in 24 h of stationary growth phase, (ii) induces bacterial filamentation, (iii) does not alter topological forms of plasmids and (iv) does not alter the electrophoretic profile of plasmids incubated with exonuclease III or formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase. A low intensity infrared laser at the therapeutic fluences used to treat pain can alter survival of E. coli wild type, induce filamentation in bacterial cells, depending on physiologic conditions and DNA repair, and induce DNA lesions other than single or double DNA strand breaks or alkali-labile sites, which are not targeted by exonuclease III or formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase.