Moraxella catarrhalis sepsis

Moraxella catarrhalis is a Gram-negative aerobic diplococcus, commensal of the oro-pharingeal cavity, actually playing an emerging role in the upper respiratory tract infections together with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. This study reports the case of a twoyearold child who was admitted into hospital with fever, headache and vomit. The chest radiograph showed signs of basal lung involvementmaking the clinical suspicion of bacterial infectionlikely. From blood culture a Moraxella catarrhalis strain was isolated. In young children M. catarrhalis is known to cause otitis media and sinusitis, but only rarely bacteremia. In this case the child showed a clinical picture of lung infection and consequent sepsis due to M. catarrhalis.