title: Managing diabetic foot infection in India.
abstract: The burden of diabetic foot complications, in terms of both physical and socioeconomical constraints, poses a heavy challenge both to the patient and the physician, especially in developing countries, where the number of people living with diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate compared with the developed world. In developing countries like India, there are specific causes and risk factors that increase the burden of diabetic foot infections (DFIs), for example, sociocultural risk factors such as barefoot walking, using improper footwear, poor knowledge of foot care practices, lack of adequate and timely access to podiatry services, and poor health care resources. Management of DFI in light of these limitations is quite a challenge to health care professionals. Several techniques and strategies are required to address this problem and should be combined with a multidisciplinary team effort to reduce the burgeoning epidemic of diabetic foot disease. This review is intended to address some of the major aspects of management of DFI in India.
authors.affiliation: MV Hospital for Diabetes and Prof M. Viswanathan Diabetes Research Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Education and Training in Diabetes, Chennai. Tamil Nadu, India. drvijay@mvdiabetes.com
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Viswanathan
authors.forename: V Narayan
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012775:Shoes; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: India; diabetic foot infection; foot care education; neuropathic foot