Aerobic Bacteriological Study of Postoperative Wound Infections with Special Reference to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Abstract

Postoperative wound infections (PWIs) are a common complication following surgery and present significant clinical challenges, often due to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. Among these, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is of particular concern due to its high resistance to common antibiotics. This study aimed to identify aerobic bacteria from postoperative wound infections and to focus on the prevalence of MRSA and its antimicrobial resistance patterns. A total of 200 postoperative wound samples were collected from patients in a tertiary care hospital. The samples were cultured on various media, and bacterial identification was performed using standard biochemical tests. Out of the 200 samples, 120 (60%) were positive for bacterial growth, with Staphylococcus aureusbeing the most common pathogen (45%). Among these, 40% were found to be MRSA, which demonstrated resistance to methicillin, and other antibiotics including penicillin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. The study highlights the increasing prevalence of MRSA in postoperative wound infections and stresses the need for vigilant antimicrobial stewardship and infection control measures.

Keywords: Postoperative wound infections, MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus, antimicrobial resistance, tertiary care hospital