Identification of Moraxella lacunata from pulmonary abscesses in three zoo herbivores

Abstract

Although Moraxella lacunata causes conjunctivitis, keratitis, endocarditis, and otolaryngitis in humans, its infection is rare in animals. We report three cases of asymptomatic pulmonary abscesses caused by M. lacunata in zoo herbivores, including two elks (Cervus canadensis) and a common eland (Taurotragus oryx). In all cases, macroscopic findings included coalescence of lung lobes and severe pulmonary abscesses filled with cheese-like materials in cysts. Microscopic findings included pneumonia characterized by marked fibrin exudates in alveolar spaces and infiltration of inflammatory cells. M. lacunata was identified in bacterial cultures from pulmonary abscesses using biochemical API 20NE system. M. lacunata is rarely isolated from zoo animals; however, herein, we describe the first report of pulmonary abscesses caused by M. lacunata infection.