BACKGROUND: Infected lower limb injuries (diabetic ulcers and venous stasis ulcers) cause great suffering and functional disability with social and economic impact and increase in risk of severe complications. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the microbiota and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of isolated bacteria in lower limb injuries secondary to the venous stasis ulcer and diabetic foot. METHODS: Patients with lower limb lesions were included in the study, both diabetics and patients with venous stasis ulcer, receiving care at the emergency service of a university hospital in Goiânia (Brazil) from February 2005 to August 2006. Samples were collected with cotton swab to perform culture and antimicrobial sensitivity test applying standardized techniques. RESULTS: Presence of bacteria was detected in 88.46% of the samples. Gram-positive cocci were characterized as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Among Gram-negative rods, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Escherichia coli,Proteus mirabilis and Enterobacter sp. were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated microorganisms of lower limb injuries (diabetic foot and venous stasis ulcer) included Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, which werethemost frequent and highly resistant to several kinds of antimicrobial agents.
Microbiota; venous stasis ulcer; diabetic foot; infection
