title: Prevalence of mixed infections in the diabetic pedal wound: a perspective based on a national audit.
abstract: Foot infections can have disastrous consequences in the life of a diabetic. The treatment of the pedal wound demands a great deal of resources. This retrospective study was formulated to determine the incidence of polymicrobial infections. The National Hospital Discharge Survey was used to gather data regarding cultures from diabetic foot infections. Codes from surgery were used because intraoperative cultures are the most reliable. It was observed that Staphylococcus Aureus is the most frequently responsible inciting organism; regarding polymicrobial infections, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus were the most common combination found. Incidence of anaerobes and gram negatives was low. This information tells a clinician that very broad-spectrum antibiotics would most commonly not be necessary, putting the impetus on the doctors to clinically assess a wound and prescribe the most appropriate antibiotic selection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Podiatry and Research Institute, St. Lukes Hospital & Health Network, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA. smithsr72@aol.com
authors.forename: Stacey R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Reed