Study of the genetic diversity of Moraxella spp. isolates obtained from corneal abscesses

Abstract

This is the first study of the genetic diversity of Moraxella spp. Isolates were detected in an Eye Hospital in the City of Buenos Aires. Due to the high frequency of Moraxella spp. observed in corneal abscesses, we decided to validate their identification at the species level, determine their drug susceptibility and perform molecular subtyping. Seventeen (17) isolates obtained from corneal abscesses were evaluated. The identification was carried out using a combination of biochemical tests and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Of these isolates, 88.2% were identified as Moraxella lacunata, and 11.8% as Moraxella nonliquefaciens. Molecular subtyping was performed using the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) technique. All isolates were typable and thirteen digestion patterns were identified. Based on the obtained results, the PFGE technique using the SmaI enzyme can be used for epidemiological studies of strains of these species.