Foot ulcers in diabetes mellitus subjects cause morbidity and mortality and lead to non-traumatic amputations worldwide. Knowledge of the microbial burden in the ulcers may improve patients care and management. This prospective study was designed to isolate, identify and carry out antibiotic susceptibility testing on bacterial isolates associated with diabetic foot ulcers among subjects in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Subjects with diabetic foot ulcer were recruited after obtaining ethical clearance from the Research Committee and informed consent from the subjects. Samples were obtained from subjects using sterile swabs and subjected to microscopy and culture. Isolates were identified using standard bacteriological techniques. Kirby-Bauer method was used for susceptibility testing. Out of the 50 subjects recruited, 19 (38.1%) were males and 31 (62.0%) were females with mean age of 55.4 10.1 and a minimum age of 40.0 years. All the subjects had grade 4 wounds. The study recorded 100% infection rates among subjects with 70.0% polymicrobial infections. A total of 97 isolates were obtained from the 50 subjects accounting for the average of 1.94 isolates per subject. The most prevalent isolate was Staphylococcus aureus (32 (32.9%)), while the least isolated pathogen was Klebsiella pneumonia (10 (20.4%)). Females harboured more isolates (61 (62.9%)) than males (36 (37.1%)), but infection rates were not significantly associated with gender (= 15.0, p 0.05). Erythromycin was the most effective antibiotic agent (65.6%) against S. aureus while gram-negative bacteria were more susceptible to augmentin (87.5%) and ciprofloxacin (75.0%). The multiple antibiotic resistance of the bacterial isolates calls for the need to monitor resistance. The best practice is to perform antibiotic susceptibility testing before treatment. Wounds should be evaluated for bacterial agents before treatment is instituted. Information on the mi.uction of morbidity and amputation rates on the patients.
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