ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PATTERNS IN PATHOGENS ISOLATED FROM PERITONEAL DRAIN FLUIDS IN ABDOMINAL SURGERIES

Background: To determine the spectrum of pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns in peritoneal drain fluid samples collected from patients undergoing abdominal surgeries at Lady Reading Hospital. Methods: This’ prospective observational study was conducted from January 2023 to January 2024’ including 73 patients who underwent abdominal surgery with postoperative drain placement. Drain fluid samples were collected under aseptic conditions and subjected to standard culture and sensitivity testing according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Demographic details, surgical characteristics, and resistance trends were analyzed using SPSS version 26, with a p-value <0.05 considered significant. Results: Gram-negative organisms predominated, with Escherichia coli (30.1%) and Klebsiella spp. (20.5%) being the most frequent isolates. Among Gram-positive organisms, Staphylococcus aureus (12.3%) was common, while Candida spp. (8.2%) were the leading fungal isolates. Resistance to ceftriaxone (58.5%) and ciprofloxacin (66.0%) was widespread among Gram-negative bacteria, while carbapenem resistance was observed in nearly one-third of isolates. Vancomycin and linezolid remained highly effective against Gram-positive organisms. Multidrug resistance was most notable in Klebsiella (80%) and Acinetobacter spp. (83.3%). Conclusion: ‘The study highlights a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in pathogens isolated from peritoneal drain fluids following abdominal surgery’. The predominance of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria underscores the urgent need for culture-guided therapy, antimicrobial stewardship, and strict infection control policies in surgical practice.