Polymicrobial Foot Infection Patterns Are Common and Associated With Treatment Failure

ABSTRACT: Abstract

Background

That foot infections are predominately polymicrobial has long been recognized, but it is not clear if the various species co-occur randomly or in patterns. We sought nonrandom species co-occurrence patterns that might help better predict prognosis or guide antimicrobial selection.

Methods

We analyzed tissue (bone, skin, and other soft tissue), fluid, and swab specimens collected from initial foot infection episodes during a 10-year period using a hospital registry. Nonrandom co-occurrence of microbial species was identified using simple pairwise co-occurrence rates adjusted for multiple comparisons, Markov and conditional random fields, and factor analysis. A historical cohort was used to validate pattern occurrence and identify clinical significance.

SUBMITTER:  

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9578153 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature