[The infected diabetic foot: diagnosis and management]

Foot infections are a frequent and potentially harmful complication of diabetes mellitus. In one skin ulceration out of two, further evolution towards infection occurs and often leads to amputation increasing morbidity and health care costs. Skin disruptions, favored by the sensorimotor neuropathy and vascular disease, constitute the initial factors leading to this complication. To ensure effective care, these cases must be managed by a multidisciplinary team in a specialized center. All caretakers involved with patients suffering from diabetes mellitus must be capable of preventing and recognizing diabetic foot infections, as well as informing the patients about this complication and its management.