Objective: Diabetic foot infection (DFI) represents a major healthcare burden, for which treatment is challenging owing to the pathophysiological alterations intrinsic to diabetes and the alarming increase of antimicrobial resistance. Novel therapies targeting DFI are therefore a pressing research need for which proper models of disease are required.
Results: Here, we present an optimized diabetic mouse model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-infected wounds, that resemble key features of DFI, such as pathogen invasion through wound bed and surrounding tissue, necrosis, persistent inflammation and impaired wound healing. Thus, in a time-efficient manner and using simple techniques, this model represents a suitable approach for studying emerging therapies targeting DFI caused by MRSA.
Keywords: Chronic wounds; Diabetic mouse model; Impaired wound healing; Inflammation; MRSA infection.
© 2022. The Author(s).