Diabetic foot infections: a study of microorganisms associated with the different Wagner grades

Patients with diabetes foot infections were evaluated over a two year period to assess the bacteriological spectrum in the different Wagner's grades of foot wounds. Most of the diabetic foot wounds were found to be polymicrobic in nature with an average of 3.07 organisms isolated per case studied. Amongst a total of 775 clinical isolates, 71.09% were aerobic; whereas 28.91% were anaerobic pathogens. Gram-positive organisms like Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. formed almost 50% of the clinical isolates in the first two grades and were reduced to less one-fourth of the total organisms in the last two grades. These was a significant increase in the gram-negative organisms and anaerobes in the last two grades.