Microbiological Profile and Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern of Bacteria in Diabetic Foot Ulcers in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic foot is any foot pathology due to diabetes or sequelae of diabetes mellitus. This study was conducted to identify the common microorganisms isolated from diabetic foot and to analyse the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacteria isolated from diabetic foot. Materials and Method: The study was a hospital based cross-sectional study where 146 foot ulcer samples (who had type 2 diabetes) were analysed. Swabs were collected from the edge and margins of ulcers, and organisms were identified by gram staining culture and biochemical reactions. Result:Out of 146 patients, 69 specimens showed growth of organisms. Total 84 aerobic organisms were isolated and out of them, 64 cases showed bacterial growth, in which 84 bacteria were isolated, which represented an average of 1.28 organisms per case. Among these organisms, 62 gram-negative and 22 gram-positive organisms were isolated. E. coli was the most common gram-negative isolate (23.81%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.4%), and Klebsiella pneumonia(8.33%), while among gram-positive bacteria, S. aureus was the most common isolate (22.6%). Conclusion: Incidence of growth was 47.2% in which E. coli (23.8%) was the most common isolate. Gram-negative bacteria were more common than gram-positive bacteria. Diabetic foot infections are polymicrobial in nature.