Phenotyping and 16S rDNA Analysis after Biofield Treatment on Citrobacter braakii: A Urinary Pathogen

What is it about?

Citrobacter braakii (C. braakii) is widespread in nature, mainly found in human urinary tract. The current study was attempted to investigate the effect of Mr. Trivedi’s biofield treatment on C. braakii in lyophilized as well as revived state for antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, biochemical characteristics, and biotype number. Lyophilized vial of ATCC strain of C. braakii was divided into two parts, Group (Gr.) I: control and Gr. II: treated. Gr. II was further subdivided into two parts, Gr. IIA and Gr. IIB. Gr. IIA was analysed on day 10 while Gr. IIB was stored and analysed on day 159 (Study I). After retreatment on day 159, the sample (Study II) was divided into three separate tubes. First, second and third tube was analysed on day 5, 10 and 15, respectively. All experimental parameters were studied using automated MicroScan Walk-Away® system. The 16S rDNA sequencing of lyophilized treated sample was carried out to correlate the phylogenetic relationship of C. braakii with other bacterial species. The antimicrobial susceptibility and minimum inhibitory concentration showed 39.29% and 15.63% alteration respectively in treated cells of C. braakii as compared to control. Tetracycline showed improved sensitivity pattern, i.e., from resistant to susceptible after biofield treatment, with support of decreased MIC value (>8 to ≤ 4 µg/mL) by two-fold in all the treated samples as compared to the control. Biochemical reactions also showed significant (42.42%) alteration in the treated samples with respect to the control. Biotype numbers with species were substantially changed in Gr. IIA (53131052, Citrobacter freundii complex) on day 10 and in Gr. IIB, Study I (53111052; Citrobacter amalonaticus) on day 159 as compared to the control (77365776; Citrobacter braakii). Moreover, biotype numbers with species were substantially changed in Gr. IIB, Study II after retreatment on day 5 (53111042, Citrobacter amalonaticus) and (53131052; Citrobacter freundii complex) on day 10 and 15 as compared to the control. 16S rDNA analysis showed that the identified microbe as Citrobacter freundii (GenBank Accession Number: DQ517285) with 95% identity. The nearest homolog genus-species of C. braakii was found to be Citrobacter werkmanii (Accession No. AF025373). The results suggested that biofield treatment has a significant impact on C. braakii in lyophilized as well as revived state.

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Why is it important?

Citrobacter braakii (C. braakii) is a genus of Gram-negative, straight, facultative anaerobic and motile bacilli bacterium widely distributed in water, soil, and food in the environment. It is also commonly found in urinary, intestinal, and respiratory tract of human and animals, belongs to Enterobacteriaceae family. It has been associated with various nosocomial and community acquired infections in humans [1]. Arens et al. reported about 11 genetically distinct species within the genus Citrobacter [2]. The main clinical manifestations have been reported due to nosocomial infections of Citrobacter species such as bacteremias [3], endocarditis [4], urinary tract infections [1], neonatal meningitis [5], pneumonia [6] and brain abscess [7]. Based on literature it has been demonstrated that 0.8% of Gram-negative infections caused by Citrobacter spp. [8]. In hospital settings, about 3-6% Citrobacter spp. causes nosocomial infection among all Enterobacteriaceae family [9]. Although it has low virulence property responsible for host cell invasion instead of it invade blood brain barrier (BBB) of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) and causes meningitis. Moreover, due to overproduction of chromosomal β-lactamase enzyme leads to antimicrobials resistance [10]. Aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, carbapenems, new oral cephems and many third and fourth-generation cephems, such as cefepime and cefpirome, are the drugs of choice to treat C. braakii associated infections but it possess high level of resistance against penicillin and other antibiotics [11,12]. Therefore, an alternative strategy is needed to alter the antimicrobial sensitivity profile against C. braakii strain. In recent years, biofield treatment was proved to be an alternative method which has impact on various properties of living and non-living materials in a cost effective manner. It is already demonstrated that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed but it can be transferred through various processes such as thermal, chemical, kinetic, nuclear, etc. [13-15]. Similarly, electrical current exists inside the human body in the form of vibratory energy particles like ions, protons, and electrons and they generate magnetic field in the human body [16,17]. Afterward, Harold Saxton Burr had performed the detailed studies on the correlation of electric current with physiological process and concluded that every single process in the human body had an electrical significance [18]. Recently, it was discovered that all electrical process happening in body have strong relationship with magnetic field as mentioned by Ampere’s law, which states that the moving charge produces magnetic fields in surrounding space [19,20]. Thus, the human body emits the electromagnetic waves in form of bio-photons, which surround the body and it is commonly known as biofield. Therefore, the biofield consists of electromagnetic field, being generated by moving electrically charged particles (ions, cell, molecule, etc.) inside the human body. According to Rivera-Ruiz et al., it was reported that electrocardiography has been extensively used to measure the biofield of human body [21]. Thus, human has the ability to harness the energy from environment or universe and can transmit into any living or nonliving object(s) around the Globe. The objects always receive the energy and responding into useful way that is called biofield energy and the process is known as biofield treatment. Mr. Trivedi’s unique biofield treatment (The Trivedi effect®) has been known to transform the structural, physical and thermal properties of several metals and ceramic in materials science [22-24], improved the overall productivity of crops [25,26], altered characteristics features of microbes [27-29] and improved growth and anatomical characteristics of medicinal plants [30,31]. Due to the clinical significance of this organism and literature on biofield treatment, the present work was undertaken to evaluate the impact of biofield treatment on C. braakii in relation to antimicrobials susceptibility and biotyping based on various biochemical characters followed by 16S rDNA sequencing analysis.

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