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Infections of the diabetic foot are among the most frequent& serious consequences of diabetes and are responsible for more hospital stays beside being the most common cause of lower extremity amputation. Diagnosis of infection should be based primarily on clinical signs. Yet, when clinical signs of infection are less evident as the case with diabetic foot ulcers, greater emphasis have to be placed on microbiological results.Infection of the diabetic foot must be treated aggressively and promptly for not to be life threatening. Following necessary surgical interventions, appropriate antibiotic therapy is a cornerstone in management.To select the most appropriate anti-infective therapy, the clinician must identify the pathogens responsible for the infection and their antimicrobial sensitivities, as the specific organisms found in diabetic foot infections differ not only from patient to patient and hospital to hospital, but also from one part of the country to another.There is also a need for periodic antibiotic resistance surveys to help the physicians choosing the best treatment strategies.

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Dr Rehab H. El-Sokkary is a lecturer and Infection control consultant at Zagazig University. The author has completed a Diploma of health professions education at Suez Canal University. She is a Board member in both Intensive Care and infection prevention and control master degrees.

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