Bacteriological Profile of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Clinical Study.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Among all the chronic complications affecting a person with diabetes, foot disease is the most devastating. The majority of diabetic foot ulcers are often associated with diverse population of bacteria. Hence, the present study was undertaken to examine the bacteriological profi le associated with diabetic foot infections. Materials and Methods: This study included a total of 100 diabetic patients with foot ulcers. Two sterile swabs were used to collect the sample from the deeper portion of the ulcers, of which one was used for Gram-staining and another for culture and sensitivity. Results: A total of 120 bacterial isolates were obtained from 100 patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Gram-negative bacilli (68.4%) showed an increased prevalence than the Gram-positive cocci (31.6%), and the most common isolate was Pseudomonas spp. (26.2%). Conclusion: Variations in bacteriological profi le in different studies could be attributed to geographic locations or type and severity of the infection. Thus, a thorough knowledge on antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates is required for planning the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.