Less Streptococcus = More Moraxella

Increased rates of vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae in recent years have led to a reduction in the nasal carriage of this bacterium. But the nose is still the nose, and bacteria will be there! One of the bugs that has stepped up to the plate is Moraxella catarrhalis. This organism is assuming increasing importance as both a coloniser of the airways of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (up to 10% of COPD patients are colonised) as well as a cause of exacerbations.

Ah, the unanticipated repercussions of medical advances.

Andrew