Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of pathogens isolated from surgical wound infections in tertiary care hospitals of Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for post-surgical site infections is crucial amid rising cases and antibiotic resistance.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate demographic factors, the occurrence of surgical wound site infections, pathogens associated with these infections, and antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated pathogens.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study including 384 patients suffering from post-surgical site infections was conducted in tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan over six months.

RESULTS: The study participants' ages ranged from 7 to 74 years old, with a mean age (±SD) of 30.4 (±9.5) years, and 44.8% of them were female. Among 384 study subjects, bacterial pathogens were isolated from 295 (76.80%). The frequency of gram-negative was 58.75%, whereas the frequency of gram-negative was 41.25%. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), (19%), Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus) (18.0%), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) (18.0%) were the most common organisms isolated from wound infections. A significant association was present between occupation and culture sensitivity with a p-value of 0.01. Most of the culture-positive population had appendectomy site infection (92.90%). MRSA had the highest sensitivity to vancomycin (89.8%) and the highest resistance to gentamicin (85.7%). Staph. aureus was most sensitive to imipenem (80%) and most resistant to gentamicin (68.4%). E. coli was most sensitive to imipenem (100%) and most resistant to ceftazidime (90%).

CONCLUSION: This study has provided a thorough description of the prevalence of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as their relationships to wound type and demographic parameters.