Pathogenic carrier rate in diabetes mellitus.

Thirty patients with diabetes mellitus were compared in terms of carrier rate of four pathogens to a group of matched controls. The diabetics were found to have a significantly increased carrier rate (p less than 0.005). When the blood glucose level was used as an indicator of control an increased rate was found in those with the poorest control (p less than 0.0005). An increased carriage of Candida albicans might be attributed to hypovitaminosis A and its effect on mucous membranes and the skin. Ten percent of diabetics were carrying beta-hemolytic group A streptococci. In a future study these patients will be checked for persistence of these organisms as well as to see if the strains are of the nephritogenic type. A significantly increased carriage rate in diabetes of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus was found. These findings suggest an additional risk factor in the outpatient diabetic population.