Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar which affects many systems in the body, one of which is the immune system. This means population with diabetes are more prone to infections because high blood sugar levels weaken the immune system. Some diabetes-related health issues like diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) and decreased blood flow to the extremities also conduce to the development of these infections.
Some of the more tasteless diabetic infections consist of foot complications, urinary tract infections and yeast infections.
Type 2 Diabetes - Diabetics And Infections
Diabetic neuropathy causes a lack of sensation in the lower extremities, which means foot injuries can indubitably go unnoticed. If these injuries are left untreated, they get infected. Some types of neuropathy can also cause skin dryness prominent to cracks and fissures of the foot. These splits in the skin allow for the entry of infections into the body from such areas of origin as foot ulcers and calluses. Decreased blood flow to the extremities also hampers the normal immune defenses and promotes infection.
Type 2 Diabetes - Diabetics And Infections
People with diabetes spend more days in the hospital with foot infections than with any other complication. At some point in their lives, approximately 15 percent of population diagnosed with diabetes will fabricate a foot ulcer.
High blood sugar levels cause an growth in sugar in the urine as the body attempts to take off the excess sugar via the kidneys. This serves as food to the bacterial cultures in the urinary tract. Most often, bacteria E coli causes infection. When an increased bacterial growth develops in the bladder it causes a urinary bladder infection called cystitis. If cystitis is left untreated, bacteria can migrate from the bladder to the kidneys. Once there, it can cause kidney infections known as Pyelonephritis.
Type 2 Diabetes - Diabetics And Infections