title: Moraxella catarrhalis as a respiratory pathogen.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Moraxella catarrhalis is gaining significance as a pathogen over few decades because of increased rate of isolation in respiratory specimens and due to emergence of multidrug resistant strains. Therefore, appropriate antimicrobial agents are required for eradication and prevention of spread of the organism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted over 1-year period inpatients of lower respiratory tract infections (L.R.T.I.) in P.G.I.M.S. Rohtak (Haryana) . Assessment of clinical significance of M.catarrhalis was ascertained on the basis of preformed criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 63 clinically significant M. catarrhalis were isolated from a tertiary care hospital. The isolates showed maximum resistance to cotrimoxazole (82.5%), penicillin (77.7%), and ampicillin (71.4%) while susceptibility was maximum to cefotaxime (87.3%) followed by tetracycline (85.7%) ciprofloxacin (84.1%), erythromycin (80.9%) amikacin (79.3%), gentamycin (77.7%), and cefazolin (76.2%). Multidrug resistance to >3 antimicrobials was seen in 22 (34.9%) of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Predominant or pure growth of M.catarrhalis in throat swabs from cases of L.R.T.I. should be reported and treated by microbiologist and clinician respectively. Antibiotic therapy should be decided based on sensitivity report for rapid response and recovery of patients.
authors.affiliation: Zoonotic divison, National Center For Disease Control, Delhi, India. nicdnaveen@gmail.com
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Shamma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Shailja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kundra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045828:Moraxellaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents