DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjams.2026.v14i02.008

Pages: 150-155

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a significant cause of postoperative morbidity worldwide, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa recognized as a major pathogen due to its intrinsic and acquired antimicrobial resistance. The increasing prevalence of multidrug- resistant (MDR), metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)–producing, and blaNDM-1 harboring strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has further complicated therapeutic management in resource- limited settings. Objective: This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from SSIs and to assess the prevalence of MBL production and the blaNDM-1 gene among these isolates. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2021 at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College. Wound swabs were collected from 185 SSI patients and processed using standard microbiological techniques for organism isolation and identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method following CLSI guidelines. Phenotypic MBL detection was conducted using the combined disc test, and blaNDM-1 gene detection was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: Among 185 samples, 130 (70.27%) showed bacterial growth, of which P. aeruginosa accounted for 32 (17.30%). MBL production was detected in 23 (71.87%) of the isolates, and among these, 7 (30.41%) carried the blaNDM-1 gene. Overall, P. aeruginosa demonstrated high resistance to ceftriaxone (87.50%), ciprofloxacin (81.25%), ceftazidime (75%), and gentamicin (71.88%). Colistin exhibited the highest sensitivity, with 90.62% susceptibility among all isolates, including 91.30% among MBL-positive and 71.43% among blaNDM-1–positive strains. Conclusion: This study reveals a high prevalence of MBL-producing, and blaNDM- 1– harboring P. aeruginosa in surgical site infections, highlighting a critical public health concern. The extensive resistance