Assessment of Bacterial Isolates from Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns among Diabetic Patients Attending Kafr El Sheikh University Hospital

Abstract

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are one of the most frequent consequences of diabetes mellitus. Having an ulcer in a diabetic foot significantly affects a person’s quality of life due to reduced physical function and reduced mobility. Objectives: to recognize the bacteria responsible for ulcers in the diabetic foot, to assess their antibiotic sensitivity, and to ascertain if infections in the diabetic foot frequently contain multi-drug-resistant bacteria. Methodology: Fifty diabetic individuals with diabetic foot ulcers attending the Vascular Surgery Department at Kafr El Sheikh University Hospital participated in this work. Sterile swabs were utilized to take pus samples from infections in the diabetic foot then the samples were immediately transferred and processed in the microbiological laboratory under aseptic conditions. Results: our study showed that 11 samples out of 30 were polymicrobial while 19 were monomicrobial with Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the most prevalent isolated pathogen followed by Staphylococcus aureus. Our study revealed that 15 (33.3%) isolated bacterial strains were multi-drug resistant. Conclusion: Early detection of ulcers in diabetic foot and adequate sample collection are crucial for identifying bacteria and determining antibiotic susceptibility patterns before starting antimicrobial therapy. This study guides the selection of empirical antibiotics for infections in diabetic feet.