Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of surgical site infection isolates from a tertiary care center in West India

Introduction: Surgical site infection (SSI) is an infection that develops within 30 days after a surgical procedure or 1 year if an implant is placed and the infection appears to be related to surgery. SSIs are associated with complications such as increased readmission rates, increased hospital length of stay, increased overall costs, and increased morbidity and mortality rates. There is a dearth of data from India regarding SSI and susceptibility profile of the isolates. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the rate of SSIs, and the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates was obtained at a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for 2 years where all patients who underwent a surgical procedure were followed up and evaluated if they showed features of SSI. Requisite samples were taken and processed. Biochemical tests and susceptibility testing identified the isolated organisms and reporting was done as per the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institution guidelines. Results: Of 7675 surgeries, 303 developed SSI. The most common isolate was Staphylococcus aureus followed by Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrobial profile of Gram-positive isolates revealed a high degree of resistance to methicillin and high susceptibility to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid; whereas among Gram-negative isolates, both Enterobacteriaceae and nonfermenters showed a high degree of resistance to various drugs including the cephalosporins. Susceptibility was seen for carbapenems and polymyxins. Conclusion: A close collaboration between microbiologists and surgeons is required. Strict hand hygiene and antimicrobial stewardship protocols need to be followed to prevent and reduce SSI.