231: The Hockey Puck Bug: Moraxella catarrhalis

In this episode of Let's Talk Micro, we continue our gram-negative cocci series with a closer look at Moraxella catarrhalis—better known at the bench as the hockey puck bug.

We break down what makes this organism unique, from its classic sliding colony morphology to how it behaves in different patient populations. Is it a colonizer or a pathogen? The answer depends on the clinical context. We walk through its role in pediatric infections like otitis media and sinusitis, its significance in adults—especially in COPD—and how to interpret its presence in respiratory cultures.

As always, we tie it back to the bench, discussing identification clues, culture considerations, and what it means when you see this organism on your plate.

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