Moraxella bovis pathogenicity: an update.

Abstract

Moraxella bovis is the etiologic agent of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, the most important ocular disease affecting cattle worldwide. The severity of the cases varied from eyes that exhibited mild signs to severe clinical cases with profuse lacrimation, conjunctival swelling, corneal opacity, and ulceration. Although the mortality is low, there is a high morbidity and important economic loss in terms of significant reduction in production. This paper examines aspects such as the pathogenesis of the disease and the mechanisms by which this unique bacterium is able to disrupt the corneal epithelium and cause infection.