A Prospective Observational Study of Antibiotic Usage Patterns and Microbiological Analysis in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Patients

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia which is a result of either defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both and diabetic foot is the feared complication of diabetes. It is characterized by several pathological complications which leads to the development of gangrene and even necessitates limb amputation. This dissertation was designed determine the bacterial profile of infected ulcers and to institute the appropriate antibiotic usage pattern. Deep wound swab was cultured from 50diabetic foot ulcer patients. Specimen was examined by gram stain procedure, cultured and antibiotic sensitivity, resistance patterns were obtained. A total number of 39 pathogens were isolated from wound swabs. Gram negative aerobes constitutes of 33 isolates (84%) followed by gram positive aerobes 6 isolates (16%). Common pathogens isolated include Klebsiella, Proteus and E. Coli. Gram negative were sensitive to Amikacin, Meropenem and Cefexime. Gram positive were sensitive to Amikacin, Vancomycin and Teicoplanin. Our study concluded that Gram negative isolates are leading infectious agents from specimens. Amikacin was sensitive to Gram negative as well as Gram positive bacteria. Our study also assists the physician for the selection of appropriate antibiotics to improve the wound healing.