Diabetes Health in The News Podcast: Fungi Impedes Healing of Diabetic Ulcers
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A new study has found that fungi in wounds can lead to poor health outcomes and longer healing times. People living with diabetes often find that their wounds take longer to heal, and it is possible that fungi found in foot ulcers are the culprit.
This study was completed at the University of Pennsylvania and analyzed 100 patients living with diabetes foot ulcers. Participants were followed for 26 weeks, or until the wound either healed or required amputation. All wounds were open and found at the bottom of the foot, and all patients received the same treatment.
Researchers found that 80% of the wounds harbored fungi. The fungi in these ulcers slowed down wound healing and sometimes led to infection of the bone and amputation. By simply swabbing the wounds to analyze the fungi, physicians could accurately predict healing time.
This study was published in mBio on September 6, 2016
