Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is an economically significant disease caused by Moraxella bovis. Moraxella bovoculi, although not reported to cause IBK, has been isolated from the eyes of cattle diagnosed with IBK. Identification of M. bovis and M. bovoculi can be performed using biochemical or DNA-based approaches, both of which may be time consuming and inconsistent between laboratories. We conducted a comparative evaluation of M. bovoculi and M. bovis identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with a database provided by Bruker Daltonics (termed the BDAL database), the BDAL database supplemented with spectra generated in our study (termed the UNLVDC database), and with PCR-restriction-fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) typing. M. bovoculi ( n = 250) and M. bovis ( n = 18) isolates from cattle with or without IBK were used. MALDI-TOF MS using the UNLVDC database correctly identified 250 of 250 (100%) of M. bovoculi and 17 of 18 (94%) of M. bovis isolates. With the BDAL database, MALDI-TOF MS correctly identified 249 of 250 (99%) of M. bovoculi and 7 of 18 (39%) of M. bovis isolates. In comparison, the PCR-RFLP test correctly identified 210 of 250 (84%) of M. bovoculi and 12 of 18 (66%) of M. bovis isolates. Thus, MALDI-TOF MS with the UNLVDC database was the most effective identification methodology for M. bovis and M. bovoculi isolates from cattle.
Keywords: Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis; MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry; Moraxella bovis; Moraxella bovoculi.