Prevalence and Risk Factors of Surgical Site Infections among Patients in Tertiary Hospital

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advances in surgical techniques and infection prevention protocols, SSIs remain a major healthcare challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings. This study determined the prevalence and risk factors of surgical site infections among patients in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. A descriptive retrospective study was conducted among surgical patients admitted to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi (NAUTH) over a five-year period (2019–2023). Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of NAUTH. Data were collected using a checklist from the medical records of 174 surgical patients during the study period. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The mean patient age was 32.05 years, ranging from 1 to 84 years. The study revealed an SSI prevalence of 15.5%. Exploratory laparotomy was the most common procedure associated with SSIs, accounting for 18.52% of cases, with abdominal surgeries having the highest complication rate at 24.0%. Significant factors influencing SSI risk included gender, department of surgery, patient occupation, pre-existing infection, postoperative nasogastric tube passage, and type of surgical procedure. Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly identified pathogen, present in 37.04% of cultures. The study highlights the need for ongoing surveillance, targeted prevention, and stringent infection control measures to reduce SSIs. Strengthening infection control protocols, conducting preoperative risk assessments, establishing real-time surveillance systems, monitoring prophylactic antibiotic use, providing continuous staff training on infection prevention, and educating patients on postoperative care and early detection of SSIs are recommended.