Diabetes, a serious condition characterized by high blood glucose, affects many systems in the body, including the immune system. Since the immune system helps protect the body from infection, diabetics often develop more infections than people with normal immune systems. Other factors also contribute to development of infection in diabetics, such as neuropathy, or nerve damage that results in decreased sensation. Neuropathy often makes cuts and other injuries less noticeable to the diabetic, increasing the chance that an infection will worsen. Decreased blood flow also heightens infection risks in diabetics. Certain infections occur more often in diabetics.
Lower Extremity Infections
Diabetics are prone to infections in the lower extremities, particularly the feet. Decreased feelings and lack of blood flow contribute to diabetic foot infections. A person with diabetes can have a stone in their shoe and develop blisters and not feel it. Since diabetes dries out the skin, the feet are prone to developing cracks that can become infected. Ulcers and calluses also occur more frequently in diabetics, the American Diabetes Association warns. Infection in the lower extremities often leads to amputation for diabetics. Because of this risk, meticulous foot care and regular checkups by a podiatrist are essential for diabetic patients.
Genito-Urinary Tract Infections
Infections of the urinary tract, known as cystitis, and kidney infections, known as pyelonephritis, occur more commonly in diabetics, lead author Dr. Dennis Schaberg reports in the January 2002 issue of "Diabetes Spectrum." Women with diabetes develop urinary tract infections more often than men with diabetes. The bacteria E. coli most often causes infection. Diabetics with urinary tract infections require antibiotic treatment for seven to 14 days to eradicate infection completely, Schaberg recommends.
Malignant Otitis Externa
Malignant otitis externa, an infection of the outer ear that spreads into nearby tissues and bones, occurs most often in diabetics and others with weakened immune systems. Often caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas, malignant otitis externa begins as swimmer's ear but spread to the bones of the skull, brain and nerves. Fever, foul smelling drainage, ear pain and hearing loss all indicate malignant otitis externa, which requires antibiotic treatment over a prolonged time period. Preventing infection by drying the ear thoroughly after swimming, staying out of potentially polluted water and putting a few drops of a mixture of 50 percent alcohol and 50 percent vinegar helps decrease the chance of infection, according to MedlinePlus, a publication of the National Institutes of Health.
Mucormycosis
Mucormycosis, a potentially fatal infection, occurs after inhaling spores of the fungus Mucorales, a common fungus that causes infection only in people with compromised immune systems. Mucormycosis especially affects diabetics with uncontrolled blood glucose. The most common form of infection, called rhinocerebral mucormycosis, affects the nose, sinuses, eyes and brain. Pains, fever, bulging of the eye and pus discharge from the nose indicate possible rhinocerebral mucormycosis, the Merck Manual states. The infection requires high doses of antibiotics given intravenously, insulin to lower blood glucose levels and debridement, or surgical removal, of dead and destroyed tissue.
