Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious health problem and remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes develop complications, some of the most clinically important are foot ulcers, retinopathy, neuropathy and macrovascular complications. Foot complications such as foot ulcers constitute a major public health problem and impose a heavy burden in health service. The aim of the work was to isolate, identify the most common bacterial causes of diabetic foot lesions, and to assess the susceptabilty pattern of the isolated organisms to the commonly used antibiotics. Phagocytic index of neutrophils of diabetic foot patients was also evaluated and its change over a short treatment course. The study was carried out on 35 patients with diabetic foot wound admitted to the General Surgery Department in Benha University Hospital. Phagocytic index of neutrophils was determined for each case by the phagocytic test at the beginning of the study and 2 weeks later. Pus aspirates were collected from the foot wound and cultured to identify the causative bacteria and its antibiotic susceptibility pattern. The results of the bacteriologic study revealed that, pure culture •was found in 12 patients (34.29%) and mixed infection was found in 23 patients (65.71%). Gram negative isolates considered a high ratio (58.33%) than gram positive isolates (41.67%). Most isolates were aerobes (90%), however anaerobes were (10%). Staph aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most commonly isolated bacterial species from diabetic foot wounds. The results of the immunologic study (phagocytic test) concluded that there is a statistically significant correlation between phagocytic index and the mean value of blood glucose. |
