Question

A female, 68 years old, was admitted with type 2 diabetes mellitus with a diabetic ulcer of the left heel involving the subcutaneous layer of the skin. The patient will be scheduled for wound care with whirlpool treatments.

Answer 1

To detect Clostridium perfringens in diabetic ulcers, it is essential to incubate samples under anaerobic conditions using media like thioglycollate or cooked meat media that support anaerobic growth. Adequate wound care, including wound debridement and whirlpool treatments, is critical for patients with diabetic ulcers to prevent severe infections such as gas gangrene.

Step-by-step explanation:

To detect Clostridium perfringens, a bacterium frequently associated with diabetic ulcers and gas gangrene, specific growth conditions in a laboratory setting are essential. Cultures should be incubated anaerobically as C. perfringens is an anaerobe, meaning it grows in the absence of oxygen.

Moreover, certain media can be utilized that promote the growth of C. perfringens, such as thioglycollate or cooked meat media, which both support the growth of anaerobes. The samples collected from a diabetic ulcer during the process of wound debridement can be placed in these media and monitored for bacterial growth and gas production, which is a characteristic of this bacterium.

Diabetic ulcers are common complications in patients with type 2 diabetes due to factors like poor circulation, nerve damage, and difficulty fighting infections.

Ensuring proper wound care, like whirlpool treatments along with clinical monitoring, is crucial for the healing process and preventing the spread of infection that can lead to severe complications such as gas gangrene.