- Y L Cai: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
To analyze the microbiome of diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) by means of metagenome sequencing and provide evidence for identification of pathogenic bacteria in DFO. A total of 5 patients (3 males and 2 females) with DFO hospitalized at the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University were enrolled and infected bone specimens were obtained between September 2016 and April 2017. The mean age was (55.8±9.5) years. Metagenome sequencing was performed to explore the characteristics of microbiome, and compared with the results of 16S rRNA sequencing. The results of metagenome sequencing showed that DFO contained diverse microorganism. Totally, 22 dominant species were obtained, (69.66%) was the most abundant, followed by (36.93%) and (34.19%). Compared with the 16S rRNA sequencing, metagenome sequencing could obtain more species information on the basis of fewer samples. At the genus level, both sequencing techniques suggested the most dominant pathogen in DFO was anaerobe. All bone specimens had polymicrobial communities. More microecological diversity and abundance of DFO can be found by using metagenome sequencing. At the species level, more bacteria, even bacterial strains can be identified by metagenome sequencing. At the genus level, the most abundant bacteria is anaerobe, however, at the species level, it is facultative anaerobe.