[Diabetic foot microbiology through biopsy cultures].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the microbiology of diabetic foot wounds, through biopsy cultures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with diabetic foot and clinical data of infection were recruited consecutively. Cultures were processed for aerobic organisms after mortar homogenization. For cases with multiple isolates, only the two predominant organisms were identified. The bacterial identification was carried out by biochemical procedures. The sensitivity to antibiotics was made by the disk diffusion method.

RESULTS

A total of 91 biopsies were studied, 47 from men (52%). There were 102 isolates, 68 being Gram-negative bacilli (67%), with predominance of Escherichia coli (21%). A total of 28 Gram-positive cocci were isolated (28%) and 6 yeasts (6%). Of the 68 Gram-negative bacilli, 24 were resistant to ciprofloxacin (35%). A total of 55 Enterobacteriaceae were isolated, of which 4 (7%) produced extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. There were 8 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 3 of which (38%) were resistant to methicillin.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison with reports from industrialized countries, we found a higher proportion of Gram-negative and resistant organisms.