Isolation and Detection of Moraxella catarrhalis from children Infected with Acute Otitis Media in Al-Kadhemiya Pediatric Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: A study was carried out to assess isolation and detection of Moraxella catarrhalis(M. catarrhalis) isolates from 100 specimens received from Children at 1-3 years of age suffered with Acute Otitis Media (AOM) in Al-Kadhemiya Pediatric Hospital.Methods: The identity of isolates was confirmed by staining method (Gram stain) , culturing, biochemical test(catalase, citrate utilization, indole production, urease production, motility, methyl red, Voges-Proskauer and DNase production) and Sensitivity test.Results: from 100 samples, 8 isolates of M. catarrhalis were collected. The biochemical activities especially the DNase production, motility, methyl red and catalase were fixed as features of it.All the isolates were resistant to Ampicillin (AMP), Penicillin (PEN) and Amoxicillin (AMX) because it has the ability to produce ß-lactamase. While the isolates were susceptible to Erythromycin (ERY),Tetracycline (TET) and Chloramphenicol (CLH).Conclusion: This study showed that M. catarrhalis is one of the main bacterial agents that causing Acute Otitis Media (AOM). The production of DNase enzyme was the characteristic feature of it from others bacterial causing agents of AOM. Also most strains of M. Catarrhalis produce ß-lactamase, which make it resistant to many antibiotics like Ampicillin, Penicillin and Amoxicillin.