“CLINICAL, BACTERIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS IN DIABETIC FOOT INFECTIONS: A HOSPITAL-BASED STUDY”

Diabetic foot infections (DFIs) remain one of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus, often resulting in prolonged hospitalization, amputations, and significant morbidity. This observational study was conducted on 100 hospitalized patients with clinically infected diabetic foot ulcers to determine the demographic profile, bacteriological spectrum, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and treatment outcomes. A male predominance (65%) was noted, with the majority of cases (44%) occurring between 41–60 years of age. Poor glycemic control was common, with a mean HbA1c of 8.9%. The predominant bacterial isolate was Staphylococcus aureus (26%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (15%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance to ampicillin (73%), ceftriaxone (60%), and ciprofloxacin (57%), while colistin (100%), linezolid (92%), vancomycin (82%), and meropenem (76%) showed excellent activity. Clinically, debridement was the most frequent intervention (46%), followed by amputations (21%). Outcomes included cure in 52% of cases, improvement in 33%, poor outcome in 12%, and mortality in 3%. The findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis, stringent glycemic control, and judicious use of antibiotics guided by culture and sensitivity testing. Strengthening preventive foot care and multidisciplinary management approaches is crucial to reducing the burden of DFIs.