The number of people with drug-resistant bacterial . Infections linked to contaminated eye drops has reached 81. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. CDC
The 68 to 81 cases identified in March included 14 people who went blind and four others who had to have their eyeballs removed.
Although most infections are confined to the eye, bacteria can be fatal if they enter the bloodstream. As of Monday, the CDC said, four people had died.
“These were catastrophic and life-altering infections,” Maroya Spalding Walters. Who leads the CDC’s antimicrobial resistance team, said in an interview.
Although many patients reported using many brands of eyedrops, EzriCare artificial . Tears appeared to be a common brand among those infected. The same bacteria were also found in samples taken from patients on opened bottles of EzriCare eyedrops.
EzriCare products were manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare in India and sold online. The CDC and FDA said people should stop using them, as well as two other eye products made by the same manufacturer. Delsum Pharma Artificial Tears and Delsum Pharma Artificial Eye Ointment.
The CDC expects the number of cases to rise, although the rate has dropped since Global Pharma recalled the three products in February.
The infections come from . A specific strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria that has proven difficult. If not impossible, to control with standard antibiotics.
Before last year, this particular form of bacteria had not been reported in the United States.
Now, cases have been discovered in 18 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
The cases were first investigated in Connecticut early last summer. Doctors in Miami began seeing such infections late last summer. An Ohio woman was infected in November.
Some cases occurred in clusters of people. Living in long-term care facilities. The CDC said, even among patients who had never used artificial tears.
Sometimes, bacteria can enter a person’s body through eye drops but never affect the eyes.
These bacteria can set up shop in the body, colonizing the respiratory or digestive tract for months without making a person sick.
That bacteria, but, can be transmitted to others through shared medical equipment, for example.
The Food and Drug Administration is also leading an investigation into the contaminated drops. But the agency’s last update was on February 22.
The FDA did not respond to TTN News’ request for a more recent update.
Both the CDC and the FDA have urged consumers to stop any use of the recalled products.
“Make sure these recalled products aren’t still out there, not hiding on a shelf,” Spalding Walters said. “Any time a product is recalled, there’s always a chance. That it will still be in the home and used months or years down the road.”
