Bronchopulmonary infection due to Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis at a specialist hospital in Saudi Arabia

Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis is now considered as one of the most important causative organisms responsible for respiratory tract infection. Specimens of tracheal aspirates from inpatients at King Fahd specialist hospital, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia were collected over a period of 18 months to determine prospectively the frequency of Moraxella catarrhalis and its antimicrobial susceptibility. Moraxella catarrhalis was isolated in pure culture from 3.8% of the tracheal aspirates collected from patients with symptoms of acute respiratory tract infections. It was the third most important pathogen after Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae; 76% of the patients had an underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The significance of the findings is discussed.