POSTOPERATIVE WOUND INFECTIONS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS: A THREE-YEAR EXPERIENCE AT MULTICENTRE TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITALS IN SOUTH INDIA

Journal: International Journal of Clinical and Biomedical Research

Article type: Original Research Articles

Published: 2026-04-05

Volume: 11; Issue: 2; Pages: 181-186

ISSN: 2395-0471

Article URL: https://journals.sumathipublications.com/article/article-1784653793643-653056002

PDF: https://journals.sumathipublications.com/article/article-1784653793643-653056002.pdf

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Authors

  1. Nagarajuu Vanaparthi
    Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Nova Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Jaffereguda, Telangana
  2. Venkateswarlu Mudu
    Assistant professor, Department of Microbiology, Arundathi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Medical - Malkajgiri, Telangana
  3. Vimala P
    Assistant professor, Department of Microbiology, Arundathi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Medical - Malkajgiri, Telangana

Abstract

Infections are among the most common adverse events affecting patient safety. Among the various healthcare-associated infections (HAI), surgical site infection (SSI) is a serious postoperative complication occurring in approximately 2–5% of surgical procedures and accounting for an estimated 10–40% of all HAI. Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for more than 20% of SSI, and many such infections are caused by multidrug-resistant strains. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted over three years. Pus samples from suspected cases of SSI were processed by standard bacteriological methods. Methicillin resistance in S. aureus was screened using the cefoxitin disc, and antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the Kirby–Bauer disc-diffusion method in accordance with CLSI guidelines. The overall rate of SSI was 10.8%. Klebsiella spp. (26.9%), S. aureus (23.1%) and Escherichia coli (22.4%) were the most common isolates. Of 541 S. aureus isolates, 364 (67.3%) were MRSA. Compared with methicillin-sensitive strains, MRSA showed significantly higher resistance to clindamycin, co-trimoxazole, clarithromycin and doxycycline, while remaining fully susceptible to linezolid and tigecycline. HAI are among the most frequent adverse events threatening patient safety and are often caused by multidrug-resistant organisms such as MRSA. Reliable estimates of their burden are hampered by a paucity of local data. This study generated institutional data on postoperative MRSA infections that can inform surgical teams and help prioritise infection-prevention interventions.

Keywords

Healthcare-associated infections; Surgical site infection; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Antibiotic susceptibility

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