When patients with diabetes have injuries on the skin, pathogenic bacteria may invade and cause infection. The foot is a favorite place for parasitic bacteria and microorganisms to enter through the skin because the feet provide the optimal environment for bacteria to thrive.  Therefore, when your foot has injuries, ulcers, cuts or wounds etc, one should take active measures to prevent infection. Foot ulcers are the biggest source of infection. When foot ulcers develop into active infections, the microorganism will go deep into the skin and bone tissue, then a deep tissue and bone infection may occur. This type of serious tissue and bone infection, known as osteomyelitis, requires a combination of surgical debridement, long term intravenous antibiotics, and if not successful, the bone infection may require amputation of the affected area.

　　Symptoms:  After the ulcer is infected, there may be fever, redness and swelling around the site, and eventually purulent discharge.

　　The medical doctors will need to do multiple blood tests evaluating for elevated white blood cell counts as a sign of an ongoing infection, elevated blood glucose levels, as well as blood and wound cultures to determine the exact type of bacteria causing the infection.  X rays, CT scans, and possibly MRI scans of the bones and surrounding tissues may be also needed to check whether the bones have been infected (osteomyelitis). If the infection is not so severe, ambulatory treatment with oral antibiotics for one to two weeks in duration may be sufficient.  But if the soft tissue is also involved in the infection, intravenous and then oral antibiotics may be needed for about 2 weeks in total duration.  If the infection has gone deep into the bones, intravenous antibiotics may be needed for 6 weeks or even longer.

　　In addition to the intravenous antibiotics,  sometimes a layer of healthy tissue may be needed to be surgically placed on top of the ulcer.

　　Attention: do not walk on the infected foot.. If you want to move around, you may need to use a walker or even a wheelchair is the foot infection is severe.  If at all possible, keep the infected foot elevated to reduce the swelling at the site.

　　Prevention: Try to make sure the foot is clean and dry in order to promote healing of the infection.  The doctor may suggest an antibiotic ointment or solution to treat ulcer. In addition, diabetic patients should try to keep their blood sugars under control, with diet, oral medications, and insulin if needed.

         If you want to know more about diabetes and foot infections, you can read more at this site: http://www.kidneycn.com/kidney-diseases/diabetes/