DIABETIC FOOT INFECTIONS

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to know the frequency of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its antibiotic
sensitivity in diabetic foot infections in our setup. Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Setting: Surgical Department, Khyber Teaching
Hospital, Peshawar. Period: January 2008 to January 2010. Materials and Methods: A total of 84 patients, including 64 males and 20 females.
Patient's identity, age, gender and the bacterial isolate on culture and sensitivity report were noted on a standardized proforma and analyzed on
SPSS version 16.0. Patients of 18 years and both gender with type I & II Diabetes mellitus, diabetic foot ulcers of Wagner Classification System
Grade 1 to 5 of 3 weeks duration, with infection and with no evidence of healing were enrolled in the study. Results: The overall mean age of
patients was 60.8 years + 6.5SD with 9.2 + 0.5% HbA1c level. Frequency of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 28.57%. Methicillin
sensitive Staphylococcal aureus (51.19%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (48.80%) and Escherichia coli (46.42%) were the common organism
cultured. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus showed 100% sensitivity to Vancomicin, Linezolid, Meropenem, Imepenem and
Pipracillin/tazobactam. Conclusions: There is an alarming trend of increase in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus because of
indiscriminate use of antibiotics in our set up which should be discouraged and a detailed knowledge of bacterial susceptibility to antimicrobial
agents is necessary.