BACTERIOLOGICAL STUDY OF POST-OPERATIVE WOUND INFECTIONS AND THEIR ANTIBIOGRAMS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

Background: Surgical site infections (SSI) are frequently occurring in postoperative complications. The present study is undertaken to isolate and determine the frequency of distribution of pathogens in post-operative wound infections and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the causative organisms. Methods: This cross-sectional, prospective study was carried out over a period of one year. 250 pus samples from cases of surgical site infections were processed for gram staining, culture, biochemical identification tests, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results: Out of 250 patients of post-operative wound infections, 48 are cultured positive, among which 21 were gram-positive, and 27 were gram-negative. Staphylococcus aureus emerged as the commonest etiological agent 17 (35.42%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 14 (29.17%), E.coli 6 (12.5%). Amikacin (72.9%) was found to be the most effective antibiotic, and Multidrug resistance was observed with staphylococcus aureus (79.16%) and pseudomonas aeruginosa (83.3%). Conclusions: Staphylococcus aureus is the commonest etiological agent for Postoperative wound infections. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of various isolates helps in proper selection of antibiotics and in this study, it was found that Amikacin was the most effective antibiotic against postoperative wound infections.