Endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella osloensis

Abstract

Purpose: To report the clinical presentation, antibiotic sensitivities, and treatment outcomes of endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella osloensis.

Case series: retrospective review of the medical records of all patients treated for endophthalmitis at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2000.

Results: During the study interval, 757 eyes were treated for endophthalmitis. Moraxella osloensis was isolated from three eyes of two patients (3/757, or 0.39%). In all three eyes, the endophthalmitis was delayed-onset and bleb-associated; Moraxella osloensis was isolated on chocolate agar and 5% sheep's blood agar using a RapNH commercial Kit (by Remel) through an automated system (Vitek). Like most gram-negative organisms, Moraxella was sensitive to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and the aminoglycosides. Although vision at presentation was poor, both patients regained baseline vision after treatment with pars plana vitrectomy and injection of intravitreal antibiotics.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella osloensis. Unlike most series of delayed-onset, bleb-associated endophthalmitis the visual prognosis following treatment for endophthalmitis caused by Moraxella osloensis appears to be generally favorable.