DETERMINANTS OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION IN RURAL KANPUR, INDIA

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection is the second most common nosocomial infection after urinary tract infection and contributes to a significant percentage of morbidity and mortality in patients. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to find out SSI rate and determining the factors which are influencing the infection rate. METHODS: A total of 150 samples from surgical site were collected and bacterial isolates identified by standard methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. RESULTS: Most common bacteria isolated from surgical site infection was Staphylococcus aureus (31.58%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (26.31%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15.79%), E.coli (10.53%), Acinetobacter (10.53%) and Proteus mirabilis (5.26%). Percentage of MRSA, ESBL production in E.coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 33.33%, 50% and 60% respectively. All the strains of Staphylococcus aureus were sensitive to Vancomycin. Most of the strains of gram negative bacilli were sensitive to Amikacin. CONCLUSION: Surgical site infection prolong the hospital stay, increases the treatment cost, bed occupancy in ward and patient morbidity. Rapid and accurate detection of these pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern is important for prompt treatment, can prevent the emergence and dissemination of drug resistance. A little modification of determinants can reduce the SSI rate in a hospital to a costeffective way.