Elevated blood glucose in diabetic patients can affect the body’s immune system, leading to a decrease in the ability of leukocytes to chemotax, phagocytose, and kill microorganisms. Platelet aggregation in blood vessels leads to poor blood circulation to infected local tissues, further reducing the body’s ability to fight infection and repair damage.
Common infections
Elevated blood glucose in people with diabetes can cause more serious infections, such as influenza and pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Therefore, influenza vaccination and pneumococcal vaccination are recommended for people with diabetes.
In addition, people with diabetes are also more susceptible to atypical pathogens, such as gram-negative bacteria or fungi, with elevated blood glucose.
Foot infections
People with diabetes often develop foot infections and are prone to foot ulcers due to nerve damage (neuropathy) and poor blood circulation in the foot.
Other infections
In addition, people with diabetes are at increased risk of developing the following infections:
- Fungal infections of the skin and urinary tract.
- Severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections of the external ear canal (also known as malignant otitis externa), which can lead to severe ear pain and ear drainage.
- Abnormally severe Mycobacterium avium infection of the nose and sinuses. The infection is known as tuberculosis or trichomycosis and is a complication of diabetic ketoacidosis.