A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot Wounds

Objective. To compare the efficacy of swabbing versus tissue biopsy for microbiological diagnosis of diabetic foot infection. Methods. This was a prospective trial. Fifty-six patients with diabetic foot infection were divided into the following 3 groups according to the PEDIS grading system: grade 2...

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Main Authors: Ying Huang, Ying Cao, Mengchen Zou, Xiangrong Luo, Ya Jiang, Yaoming Xue, Fang Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8198714
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author Ying Huang
Ying Cao
Mengchen Zou
Xiangrong Luo
Ya Jiang
Yaoming Xue
Fang Gao
author_facet Ying Huang
Ying Cao
Mengchen Zou
Xiangrong Luo
Ya Jiang
Yaoming Xue
Fang Gao
author_sort Ying Huang
collection DOAJ
description Objective. To compare the efficacy of swabbing versus tissue biopsy for microbiological diagnosis of diabetic foot infection. Methods. This was a prospective trial. Fifty-six patients with diabetic foot infection were divided into the following 3 groups according to the PEDIS grading system: grade 2 (n=10), grade 3 (n=29), and grade 4 (n=17). Two specimens were collected from each wound for microbial culturing after debridement, including a superficial swab and a deep tissue punch biopsy specimen. Results. Swab culturing identified all of the microorganisms isolated from the corresponding deep tissue specimens in 9/10 of grade 2 wounds (90.0%), and this proportion decreased to 12/29 (41.4%) and 7/17 (41.2%) for grades 3 and 4 wounds, respectively (p=0.02). Moreover, the sensitivity for identifying Gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and Citrobacter, by swabbing was low (33.3%). In addition, some Gram-negative bacteria, such as Serratia and Ralstonia pickettii, were isolated from deep tissues but not from swabs. Conclusions. Swab culturing may be reliable for identification of pathogens in diabetic foot wounds classified as grade 2. However, it is advisable to culture deep tissue specimens for wounds of grade ≥3 because swab culturing is associated with a high risk of missing pathogens, especially Gram-negative bacteria.
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spelling doaj-art-80f6497fa5ed4154a8bbd3496bd53ed52025-08-20T02:08:53ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83371687-83452016-01-01201610.1155/2016/81987148198714A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot WoundsYing Huang0Ying Cao1Mengchen Zou2Xiangrong Luo3Ya Jiang4Yaoming Xue5Fang Gao6Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, ChinaObjective. To compare the efficacy of swabbing versus tissue biopsy for microbiological diagnosis of diabetic foot infection. Methods. This was a prospective trial. Fifty-six patients with diabetic foot infection were divided into the following 3 groups according to the PEDIS grading system: grade 2 (n=10), grade 3 (n=29), and grade 4 (n=17). Two specimens were collected from each wound for microbial culturing after debridement, including a superficial swab and a deep tissue punch biopsy specimen. Results. Swab culturing identified all of the microorganisms isolated from the corresponding deep tissue specimens in 9/10 of grade 2 wounds (90.0%), and this proportion decreased to 12/29 (41.4%) and 7/17 (41.2%) for grades 3 and 4 wounds, respectively (p=0.02). Moreover, the sensitivity for identifying Gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and Citrobacter, by swabbing was low (33.3%). In addition, some Gram-negative bacteria, such as Serratia and Ralstonia pickettii, were isolated from deep tissues but not from swabs. Conclusions. Swab culturing may be reliable for identification of pathogens in diabetic foot wounds classified as grade 2. However, it is advisable to culture deep tissue specimens for wounds of grade ≥3 because swab culturing is associated with a high risk of missing pathogens, especially Gram-negative bacteria.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8198714
spellingShingle Ying Huang
Ying Cao
Mengchen Zou
Xiangrong Luo
Ya Jiang
Yaoming Xue
Fang Gao
A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot Wounds
International Journal of Endocrinology
title A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot Wounds
title_full A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot Wounds
title_fullStr A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot Wounds
title_full_unstemmed A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot Wounds
title_short A Comparison of Tissue versus Swab Culturing of Infected Diabetic Foot Wounds
title_sort comparison of tissue versus swab culturing of infected diabetic foot wounds
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8198714
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