The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised doctors and consumers to "immediately
With the participation of federal and local departmentsHealth experts from the CDC have identified 50 patients in 11 states who were recently infected with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Agency officials found evidence that these infections were linked to the use of EzriCare artificial tears. The infection occurred between May and December 2022.
“Patients experienced permanent vision loss as a result of eye infection. One person died due to blood poisoning,” the CDC said in a statement.
According to the CDC, P.aeruginosa lives in the environment, in soil and water, and is especially dangerous for hospitalized patients. Especially for those who are prescribed mechanical ventilation, have catheters inserted and have burns. When exposed to contaminated soil or water, patients develop a severe blood or lung infection.
They are usually prescribed antibiotics, but somestrains of P. aeruginosa have developed resistance. They produce carbapenemases - enzymes of gram-negative microorganisms that hydrolyze beta-lactam antibiotics: penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems. The strain of P. aeruginosa associated with an outbreak in several states produces such enzymes and is resistant to several antibiotics, including carbapenems. This drug is often used to treat severe multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
“The review showed that the majority of patientsArtificial tears were used before the infection, the CDC said in a statement. “The most common brand was EzriCare eye drops.” Agency staff tested the opened vials and proved the drug was resistant to P. aeruginosa. Scientists are now testing whether the identified bacteria matches the outbreak strain, and are also testing unopened vials of EzriCare artificial tears.
“The CDC recommends that doctors and patients immediatelystop using EzriCare artificial tears until the completion of the epidemiological investigation and laboratory tests,” the agency said in a statement.
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