AIMS: To conduct a multicentre observational study to describe management of foot infections in diabetes in the out-patient setting in Italy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten centres equally distributed nationwide were asked to collect, by means of a spreadsheet (Access/Excel Microsoft program), data concerning 30 consecutive diabetic patients with foot infections deemed suitable for antibiotic treatment in the out-patient setting. Centres with > or = 5 years' experience of out-patient management were selected. Data from 271 consecutive patients treated as out-patients were collected and analysed by the central coordinator. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS statistical software package. RESULTS: Lesions were mainly located at the toes and midfoot (33.6 and 30.2%, respectively); 63 (23.2%) patients had multiple ulcers. Seventy (25.8%) patients also had concomitant osteomyelitis. Three hundred and four pathogens, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobes and anaerobes, were isolated in 219/271 patients (80.8%) by culturing debrided tissue (71.2%) or purulent material (28.8%). Infections were polymicrobial in 33.8% of patients. The most common pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (27.3%) and Pseudomonas spp. (20.4%); enterobacteriaceae, enterococci, streptococci and anaerobes accounted for 11.5, 7.6, 6.9 and 1.9%, respectively. Antibiotics were frequently administered by parenteral route and frequently in combination. Piperacillin/tazobactam was the parenteral antibiotic most frequently utilized (21.1%). Cure/improvement was observed in 93.4% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Foot ulcers in diabetes are common and serious; the aetiology is often polymicrobial, often including S. aureus and Pseudomonas spp. Treatment in the out-patient setting is safe and effective, and penicillins together with beta-lactamase inhibitors and fluoroquinolones are the most frequent choice.