Which of the following symptoms is NOT typically associated with a surgical site infection (SSI)?

Severe headaches are not typically associated with surgical site infections (SSI). While SSIs often manifest with specific local signs and systemic signs in the vicinity of the surgical site, such as redness around the incision, drainage of cloudy fluid, and an elevated white blood cell count, headaches are not a common symptom directly linked to the infection at the surgical site.

SSIs are characterized by local inflammation and possibly systemic symptoms if the infection progresses. Redness indicates inflammation at the site, drainage of cloudy fluid suggests the presence of pus, and an elevated white blood cell count reflects the body's immune response to infection. Each of these symptoms helps indicate the presence of an infection localized to the area of the surgery. In contrast, severe headaches are more likely associated with other types of conditions, such as neurological issues or post-operative concerns unrelated to the surgical site itself.