BATTLING BENEATH THE SURFACE: DECODING THE MICROBIAL LANDSCAPE OF DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS IN AN INDIAN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL – A PIONEERING STUDY ON PREVALENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are the leading cause of lower limb amputations in medicine and may lead to days of expensive hospital stays. Identification of the bacteria causing DFUs is crucial for selecting the right antibiotic therapy. Antibiotic resistance has significantly increased, especially in the wound infections of Diabetic patients according to various studies. Objectives: In order to determine the prevalence of bacteria and the profiles of their antibiotic sensitivity, the current study looked at a variety of patient cultures with DFUs. Methods: This is a prospective observational study. 194 DFU patients who were admitted to tertiary care hospital at Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India was included in this study. The Wagner Classification was employed to evaluate the DFUs' location and degree of severity. Sterile swabs were used to collect the samples needed for testing. Routine microbiological laboratory Conventional tests were done and results were recorded. Results: A total of 181 microorganisms were isolated. Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.5%), Escherichia coli (14.9%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.7%) were the major three organisms isolated. The most often isolated gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were Staphylococcus species and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. Vancomycin shown 100% sensitivity to all Gram-positive bacteria, although meropenem and Cefoperazone/Sulbactam were found to be effective against Gram negative bacteria. Conclusion: In conclusion, clinicians are advised to consider cultures before starting empirical medication because several microbes may be involved and multidrug-resistant strains may emerge