Community-AcquiredMoraxella catarrhalisBacteremic Pneumonia: Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Moraxella(formerlyBranhamella)catarrhaliswas discovered at the end of the nineteenth century, and for many decades it was considered to be a harmless commensal of the upper respiratory tract. It is a Gram-negative, aerobic diplococcus considered to be the third most common pathogen isolated in childhood sinusitis and otitis media and in adult chronic lower respiratory disease, as well as an etiological agent of pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients or those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Moraxella catarrhalispneumonia is rarely associated with bacteremia. Here, we present two cases of community-acquiredMoraxella catarrhalisbacteremic pneumonia.