Endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella species.
OBJECTIVE
To report the incidence, clinical presentation, antibiotic sensitivities, and treatment outcomes for endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella species.


METHODS
Consecutive interventional case series. Medical records were reviewed of all patients treated at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between 1991 and 2000 for endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella species.


RESULTS
Moraxella species were recovered from 9 patients (10 eyes), or 1.3% (10 of 757) of all culture-proven bacterial endophthalmitis cases; Moraxella catarrhalis was recovered from 7 eyes and Moraxella osloensis from 3. Endophthalmitis was delayed-onset (5 months to 10 years postoperatively) and bleb-associated in 9 eyes and trauma-related in 1. All isolates were sensitive to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and the aminoglycosides, and they were resistant to vancomycin; resistance to ampicillin and trimethoprim/sulfa was 11%. Although presenting vision was hand motion or worse in 7 of 10 eyes, all but 3 regained baseline visual acuity (including two eyes in which the post-treatment course was complicated by retinal detachment and one eye with coexistent traumatic injuries).


CONCLUSIONS
Endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella species is usually delayed-onset and bleb-associated. Although patients usually present with a profound decrease in vision, the organisms are sensitive to most antibiotics and, unlike most series of delayed-onset bleb-associated endophthalmitis, visual outcomes are generally good unless coexistent ocular morbidities exist.
Berrocal
A M
AM
Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
Scott
I U
IU
Miller
D
D
Flynn
H W
HW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009016:Moraxella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents