Moraxella corneal ulcers: poor response to medical treatment.

Three patients, all chronic alcoholics, had corneal ulcers caused by two Moraxella species. The diagnosis was suspected from the Gram's stain in two cases and confirmed by culture in all three. In spite of aggressive and appropriate medical management, all three cases required surgical intervention. Two patients underwent penetrating keratoplasty for perforation or descemetocele, and one received a conjunctival flap. Moraxella corneal ulcers often do not respond well to medical treatment. As these organisms are highly susceptible to antibiotics in vitro, host factors must play a role in the poor prognosis of these infections.