Antibiogram and Genotypic Analysis using 16S rDNA after Biofield Treatment on Morganella morganii

What is it about?

Morganella morganii (M. morganii) is one of the important nosocomial pathogen associated with the urinary tract infections and bacteremia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Mr. Trivedi’s biofield energy treatment on M. morganii in the lyophilized as well as revived state for antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, biochemical characteristics, biotype number and genotype. M. morganii cells were procured from MicroBioLogics Inc., USA in sealed packs bearing the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC 25829) number and stored according to the recommended storage protocols until needed for experiments. M. morganii strain was divided into two groups, Group (Gr.) I: control and Gr. II: treated. Gr. II was further subdivided into two groups, Gr. IIA and Gr. IIB. Gr. IIA was analyzed on day 10, while Gr. IIB was stored and analyzed on day 142 (Study I). After retreatment on day 142, the sample (Study II) was divided into three separate tubes. First, second and third tube was further analyzed on day 5, 10 and 15 respectively. All experimental parameters were studied using the automated MicroScan Walk-Away® system. The 16S rDNA sequencing of lyophilized treated sample was carried out to correlate the phylogenetic relationship of M. morganii with other bacterial species. Antimicrobial susceptibility results showed 32.14% alterations, while minimum inhibitory concentration results showed 18.75% alterations of the tested antimicrobials. Biochemical study also showed altered positive reactions in nitrofurantoin and indole with respect to control. Biotype study showed alteration in Gr. IIB, study II, on day 15 (4005 1446) as compared to the control (4004 1446). 16S rDNA sequencing analysis showed similar results with the identified microbe as M. morganii (GenBank accession number: AB210972) having 80% identity of the gene sequencing data. Total 1507 base nucleotide of 16S rDNA gene sequences were analyzed by multiple alignments, while nearest homolog genus-species of M. morganii was found as Providencia rettgeri (accession number: AM040492). These results suggested that biofield treatment has a significant impact on M. morganii in lyophilized as well as revived state.

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Why is it important?

Morganella species are the clinically characterized in the tribe Proteeae [1]. Morganella species infections are less frequent in healthy individuals. Morganella morganii (M. morganii) is Gram-negative and facultative anaerobic bacterium of the family Enterobacteriaceae. It exists as commensal within the intestinal tract of humans, mammals, and reptiles as a normal flora [2]. Originally, it was reported to be as common cause of summer diarrhoea but later on, clinical infections associated with urinary tract, skin and soft tissue and hepatobiliary tract were reported [3]. They are motile, non-lactose fermenting, and have the capacity for urease production and show the presence of phenylalanine deaminase. Morganella associated infections are the fifth leading cause of UTIs in nursing home patients [4]. According to Warren et al. catheter-associated bacteriuria due to Morganella in long term care facilities has been reported [5]. Most of the infectious cases in microbiology laboratory were associated with urine, wounds, and from a variety of body fluids or tube drainage [6]. M. morganii bacteremia entry has involved hepatobiliary tract, as 64% cases are related to intra-abdominal infections [7]. Morganella species show resistance against β-lactam antibiotics, usually due to the presence of chromosomally encoded β-lactamases belonging to the AmpC β-lactamase family. Most of the β-lactamase enzymes are inducible in nature only on exposure to antibiotics [8]. Continuous use of antibiotics leads to the high-level expression of a resistant isolate of M. morganii against second or third generation’s antibiotics [9]. Therefore, an alternative strategy is needed to alter the antimicrobial sensitivity profile against Morganella strain. Multidrug therapy and some alternate approach are required to treat the associated infections. Due to the several side effects alternate and complementary therapy approach are the best treatment strategies. Among various complementary and alternate treatment approach, biofield treatment may be one of the approach to alter the antimicrobial sensitivity. Biofield has been defined as “energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human body”. Biofield treatment refers to a group of energy therapy that affects people’s health and well-being by interacting with their biofield. According to physics, “energy” defines as the capacity to do work, and overcome resistance, while “field” refers to the force which can cause action at a distance. As a basic law in physics, when electrical signals fluctuate with time, the magnetic field generates in the surroundings. After detection of biomagnetism in laboratories, many researchers hypothesized that the flow of bioelectricity in human bodies possibly the reason of biomagnetic fields. On the other hand, specific environmental frequencies are absorbed by the biomolecules, results in alterations in the movements of component parts [10]. Biofield therapies practice involved the alteration in consciousness states in mind. These healing modalities or touch therapies were mainly used to reduce the pain, anxiety, and promote health [11]. Healing treatment suggests the mechanism upon modulating patient-environmental energy fields, as its main treatment approach is through bioelectromagnetics and biophysical fields that form the major role in cellular structure and function of the human body [12]. Thus, the human body emits the electromagnetic waves in the form of bio-photons and moving electrically charged particles (ions, cell, molecule, etc.), which surround the body. Thus, human has the ability to harness the energy from the 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 the useful way that is called biofield energy and the process is known as biofield treatment. Mr. Trivedi’s unique biofield energy is also known as The Trivedi effect®, which has been reported to alter the structural, physical and thermal properties of several metals and ceramics in material science research [13-15], improved the overall productivity of crops [16,17], altered characteristics features of microbes [18-20] and improved growth and anatomical characteristics of medicinal plants [21,22]. Due to the significant impact of biofield treatment, and clinical importance of M. morganii, the study was designed to evaluate the impact of Mr. Trivedi’s biofield energy treatment on M. morganii in relation to study the phenotypic and genotypic characters of organism using 16S rDNA sequencing analysis.

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