ThTP8.5 Bacterial profile and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolates among patients diagnosed with surgical site infection at a tertiary teaching hospital in Pakistan

Objective

The study aimed at assessing the bacterial profile and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the pathogens isolated from patients diagnosed with surgical site infection.

This study will help identify the organisms and will guide in formation of protocols to prevent and treat surgical site infections.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Surgery from May 2021 to May 2022, using convenient sampling technique. Wound samples were taken from patients diagnosed with surgical site infection and cultured on Blood and MacConkey agar. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed on Muller Hinton agar. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS v.23.

Results

A total of 101 samples from 78 patients were analyzed. Out of the bacteria from positive growth cultures, Escherichia coli (19,18.8%) was the most common isolate followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17,16.8%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (15,14.9%). Acenitobacter baumanni was isolated from 11 (10.9 %) patients, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from 4 (4 %) patients and Proteus mirabilis from 2 (2 %) patients. However, 9.9% samples showed no growth on cultures. Escherichia coli was the most sensitive to amikacin (89.5%) and meropenem (78.9%). While Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed maximum susceptibility towards meropenem (82.4%).

Conclusion

Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated pathogen from surgical site infection sites, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acenitobacter baumanni as causative agents for SSI’s. This study demonstrates the increasing incidence of infections from once uncommon organisms like Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acenitobacter baumanni. This calls for action and formation of protocols to fight the menace of SSI’s.