Moraxella catarrhalis bacteremia: a 10-year experience.
BACKGROUND
Moraxella catarrhalis commonly inhabits the upper respiratory tract and is a cause of acute otitis media and sinusitis in children. It is an infrequent cause of invasive disease.


METHODS
We reviewed records of all patients with positive blood cultures for M catarrhalis admitted to our hospital during the 10-year period (1988 through 1997).


RESULTS
Eleven cases were identified. Age range was 11 to 32 months. Four (44%) had risk factors for infection, including sickle cell disease (2), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (1), and leukopenia (1). Upper respiratory symptoms and fever were present in all patients. Ten had acute otitis media, five had sinusitis, and three had pneumonia. All isolates were beta-lactamase producers. Treatment included intravenous cefuroxime (8), cefotaxime (2), and ceftazidime (1), followed by oral amoxicillin/clavulanate or cefuroxime axetil.


CONCLUSIONS
Moraxella catarrhalis bacteremia should be considered in febrile young children with upper respiratory infections and/or acute otitis media especially in those with underlying immune dysfunction.
Abuhammour
W M
WM
Children's Hospital of Michigan, and the Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit 48201, USA.
Abdel-Haq
N M
NM
Asmar
B I
BI
Dajani
A S
AS
D000208:Acute Disease; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000276:immunology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000382:microbiology*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000382:microbiology*