STUDY OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS WITH THEIR ANTIBIOGRAM CAUSING DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS

Globally and nationally, Diabetes mellitus with its complications has become the contemporary and challenging health problem. Diabetic foot ulcers are the most serious complication of the disease. Diabetes mellitus appears to be an independent risk factor for infection with multi drug resistant organisms causing several abnormalities of the host defense mechanisms that might result in a higher risk of certain infections. Hence early diagnosis of microbial infections will aim to appropriate antibiotic therapy to avoid further complications such as cellulitis, gas gangrene and amputation. Hence this study had been done to evaluate the microbial pathogens causing diabetic foot ulcers along with its antibiogram. Pus samples were collected from 100 patients with diabetic foot ulcers attending Department of Surgery, Government General Hospital, Vijayawada and sent to Microbiology department, Siddhartha Medical College for processing. Diabetic patients of all age groups and both gender were included and those patients who were on antibiotic therapy were excluded . Out of 100 samples processed 90(90%) were culture positives, of which 101 pathogens were isolated, 70(69.3%) were Gram negative and 31(30.6%) were Gram positive Pseudomonas ssp were found to be predominant followed by Escherichia.coli and Staphylococcus aureus. All the pathogens were found to be highly sensitive to Piperacillin- tazobactam, Gentamicin and least sensitivity to Azithromycin. The results of this study therefore alert us to the need for proper management of antibiotics to optimize patient care and improve clinical outcome.