Comparative Study of Community and Hospital Acquired Infections in Diabetic Foot

Objective: To compare the microbiological profile of community acquired diabetic foot infections and hospital acquired infection in the same patients following a week of treatment. To study the morbidity associated with hospital acquired infections in terms of number of days ofhospitalization and requirement of further surgical interventions.Materials and methods: 55 individuals admitted with diabetic foot infections to tertiary referral hospital of a developing country were included in the study. Two microbial swabs were taken one at admission and the second a week later and data studied.Result: The first culture grew Klebsiellae (25.5%), E-coli (20%), Enterococci (16.4%). The surgical procedures undertaken were debridement in 57.2%, amputation in 20% and fasciotomy in 21.8%. 94 % of patients developed hospital acquired infection, the predominant organism being pseudomonas (50.9%) and E- coli-(14.9%). The surgical procedure undertaken after this was debridement in 83.6%. Conclusion: The community acquired infections varied in character and polymicrobial in nature. Hospital acquired infections were responsible for the extended morbidity of the patients and no mortality was observed in the study duration. 94% of patients developed hospital acquired infection, the predominant organism being pseudomonas and its treatment may be the key to lower the morbidity rate in patients.