Bilateral Moraxella Keratitis in a Healthy Person after an Episode of Conjunctivitis: A Case Report

• Published in: JNMA; journal of the Nepal Medical Association Vol. 59; no. 237; pp. 510 - 512
• Main Authors: Bajracharya, Leena, Singh Rana, Rachana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nepal Journal of the Nepal Medical Association 01.05.2021; Nepal Medical Association
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Case Report; Conjunctivitis; conjunctivitis; moraxella keratitis; pseudomembranous; Corneal Ulcer - drug therapy; Eye Infections, Bacterial - diagnosis; Eye Infections, Bacterial - drug therapy; Female; Humans; Keratitis - diagnosis; Keratitis - drug therapy; Middle Aged; Moraxella
• ISSN: 0028-2715; 1815-672X
• DOI: 10.31729/JNMA.6170

Moraxella species are gram-negative diplobacilli and are rare cause of bacterial keratitis. We report a case of a 55-year-old woman presented with pain, redness and profound decrease in vision in both eyes for 2 weeks. One month back she had been treated as acute follicular conjunctivitis elsewhere. She had been treated with ofloxacin drops. On examination, she had central oval full-thickness infiltrate with thinning of cornea and hypopyon in both eyes. She had pseudomembrane in the tarsal conjunctiva. Corneal culture, done separately, showed isolation of Moraxella species, which was resistant to fluoroquinolones. She responded to fortified amikacin and ulcer healed with best-corrected vision of 6/24 and 6/18 in right and left eye respectively. Moraxella keratitis can cause severe keratitis. Conjunctivitis may be complicated by keratitis. Antibiotic resistance can cause problem. Bilateral keratitis should be referred promptly to higher centers if not responding well to treatment.