What you need to know about infections when you’re Diabetic
Diabetics are prone to bacterial and fungal infections because of adverse effects of hyperglycemia on the immune system front line: the granulocytes and T-cell functions. These cells patrol the body making certain that foreign substances are identified and killed. No matter how often you take showers or wash your hands (these activities do help out significantly so don’t hang up your wash cloth just yet) you need a strong immune system.
Hyperglycemia affects the function of granulocytes and t-cells. These are the cells that are the main lines of defense for the body against attack from bacteria and fungi. With these two components out of commission, the other body defenses can be overwhelmed by a bacterial or fungal attack and the infection can take hold.
Infection and Diabtetes
High blood sugar levels make this even worse because these bacteria and fungal spores actually get their food from the blood. Without the immune system fighting them and huge amounts of sugar available for food, these infections spread like wildfire.
The most common fungal infections appear in the mouth and other warm, moist areas in the body. The most common bacterial infections occur on the feet. These are often worsened because the nerve cells of those areas may be dead or dying which means you can’t feel anything is wrong. In this case, the infections persist over a long time and eventually become ulcerated.
So, diabetics are susceptible to infections because the high blood sugar not only impairs the immune system, it feeds the foreign cells. Furthermore, nerve damage means diabetics can’t feel what’s going on in their feet or other extremities which can result in ulcers or even amputations.
