Bacteriological profile of diabetic foot infections and their antibiotic treatment of choice

Abstract

Introduction: diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease in constant increase and with alarming projections in terms of incidence; likewise, the complications associated with this pathology are very frequent, such as the development of ulcers at foot level and their infection, which represent the main reasons for hospitalization and lower limb amputations. Aim: to describe the bacteriological profile of diabetic foot infections and their antibiotic treatment of choice. Methods: the study was non-experimental systematic review type following PRISMA methodology, in databases such as Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Lilacs and Dialnet, considering certain inclusion criteria as articles published between January 2017-December 2022. Results: a total of 9 articles were identified that met the eligibility criteria, identifying five most frequent bacteria such as Staphylococcus spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, among others. On the other hand, antibiotic groups such as penicillins associated with beta-lactamase inhibitors, third generation cephalosporins, among others, are drugs with high antibiotic sensitivity for the most frequent agents of diabetic foot infections. Conclusions: based on the review performed, it is possible to conclude that diabetic foot infections are generally polymicrobial, being the Gram-negative group bacteria the most predominant compared to the Gram-positive group; additionally, for the antibiotic treatment of diabetic foot infections, it should be considered to cover the most frequent infectious agents.