Bacteriological Profile of Wound Infections in Patients Admitted to Surgical Wards at Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major category of healthcare-associated infections associated with increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and elevated healthcare costs. This study described the bacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility of organisms causing wound infections in patients admitted to surgical wards at Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria. Wound swabs were collected aseptically from 100 patients with clinical evidence of wound infection over a five-month period. Standard culture and sensitivity methods were employed for bacterial isolation and identification. Disk diffusion susceptibility testing was performed per CLSI guidelines against 10 antibiotics representing five classes. Results showed that S. aureus was the predominant isolate (32%), followed by P. aeruginosa (24%), E. coli (18%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (14%), and Proteus mirabilis (12%). MRSA was detected in 34 percent of S. aureus isolates, while metallo-beta-lactamase production was confirmed in 21 percent of P. aeruginosa isolates. Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins was high across Gram-negative species. Vancomycin and imipenem were the most consistently active agents. Risk factors for infection included emergency surgeries, diabetes mellitus, and prolonged pre-operative hospital stays. These findings highlight the need for active SSI surveillance, perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis protocols, and stringent aseptic surgical techniques at FETHA. Keywords: surgical site infections, Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, wound infection, Abakaliki.