Microbiological profile of pathogenic bacteria in diabetic foot infections in a tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu

Diabetes mellitus is the most common medical ailment that majority of the Indian population is afflicted with. Diabetic foot infections are one of the most feared complications of diabetes leading to a high morbidity rate and one of the leading causes of hospitalisations and amputation of limbs. Most of these wounds are polymicrobial in nature with multi drug resistant organisms making the management difficult. For the period of eight months 148 Diabetic wound samples were received and processed in our laboratory. The study shows a male predominance of 70.2. The most common age group affected is between 51 60 years. The commonest organism causing wound infection is Staphylococcus aureus followed by the Enterobacteriaceae group of organisms. Among the Staphylococcal isolates 43.2 were methicillin resistant S. aureus and 37.5 of the Enterobacteriaceae are extended spectrum beta lactamase producers. Fifteen patients (10.1) had more than one drug resistant organism Majority of the patients are found to be empirically treated with amoxicillin clavulanic acid or cefaperazone sulbactam or piperacillin tazobactam. A complete microbial profile with the antibiogram in a particular hospital will help to guide appropriate management of diabetic foot infections.