These 4 Diabetes Infections Are Susceptible to Diabetics

 The immune system is an important factor in preventing infection. This is because almost any time the body can be exposed to disease germs. However, not everyone has endurance that is able to protect the body from infection, such as people with diabetes, both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Why does diabetes make sufferers easily affected by infection?

Uncontrolled increases in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) in diabetics cause the immune system's response to slow down when exposed to disease germs.

The journal in BMC infectious diseases (2018) explains the condition of hyperglycemia also tends to be beneficial for germs because high glucose levels increase the ability of germs to grow and spread faster.

Hyperglycemia also increases the chance of infection by inhibiting blood flow to every surface of the body.

With open wounds, infection is easier to occur because the distribution of nutrients necessary for healing and fighting germs becomes inhibited.

The surface of the skin that lacks nutrients will become easily dry. The skin is also easier to become an "entrance" for germs to enter the body.

Types of infections that are susceptible to diabetes

Infection in people with diabetes has a typical pattern because it is almost only found in people who have this disease.

Basically, infection is easier to occur in the skin and nasal cavity and ears on the head. However, infection may also occur in the urinary tract even in the kidneys.

Types of infections that can occur in people with diabetes include the following.

1. Otitis eksterna

This infection often occurs in the outer ear canal and can invade into the inside of the ear, especially on the cartilage and hard bones around the ear.

Otitis externa can be caused by bacteria (most often pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungi. This is noted in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism (2012).

This type of infection is also often characterized by pain in the ear and accompanied by the appearance of fluid coming out of the ear cavity.

2. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis

This rare type of infection is caused by several fungi that can be found on the surface of the nose and around the sinuses.

This fungus can spread to surrounding tissues, especially blood vessels, by damaging tissues and turning off cells and causing erosion of the facial bones.

This disease appears when the patient's blood sugar levels are not controlled, especially if accompanied by ketoacidosis or high levels of ketones (acids produced by burning fat into energy) in the body.

The main symptoms caused are pain around the nose, swelling, and the appearance of blackish blood from the nasal area.

3. Urinary tract infection

In addition to the ears and upper respiratory tract, people with diabetes are also at risk of infection along the urinary tract (UTI).

UTIs can start from bacterial infections of the urine (bacteriuria), the formation of pus in the urine (pyuria), inflammation of the bladder (cystitis), and upper urinary tract infections.

The cause of UTIs is bacteria that infect the urinary tract, especially around the bladder, and can cause kidney infections (pyelonephritis).

Kidney infection is a fatal condition because it can cause kidney failure.

4. Skin and fine tissue infections

In people with diabetes, skin infections can appear suddenly, especially if blood sugar is not controlled.

Infection can occur in any part of the body, but it is more common in the legs.

When high blood sugar disrupts blood flow in nerve tissue (diabetic neruropathy), people with diabetes are usually not so sensitive to feeling sensations in both legs.

This condition makes people with diabetes more at risk of skin infections because they do not realize when the legs are injured or just blisters.

Diabetic foot condition is a chronic form of this infection that starts from the appearance of lenting or fluid-filled wounds in diabetics (Bullosis diabeticorum).

How to prevent infection in people with diabetes?

There are several ways to prevent infection in diabetics, including the following.

• One of the easy steps for diabetics to prevent diabetes infection is to maintain personal hygiene and the living environment.
• Avoid open wounds on any part of the body, especially on the legs.
• Use diabetes footwear that is just right in size, not too tight, and a soft base to avoid friction or abrasions on the feet.
• Keep the genitals clean and do not often hold urination for too long to prevent urinary tract infections.
• People with diabetes must also be able to monitor the appearance of infectious symptoms early in order to prevent widespread infection and aggravate the symptoms.

If symptoms of diabetic infection appear such as abnormal pain, redness, fever, and the appearance of pus or unpleasant odor from the body, immediately do an early examination and treatment.