In an outbreak linked to contaminated recalled eye drops, the death toll has risen and more people have lost their sight.
An update on the outbreak issued by the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) confirmed that there have now been three deaths. In addition, at least eight people lost their eyesight, and four people had to have their eyes surgically removed.
The CDC update did not include any identifying details about those impacted by the outbreak.
Artificial tears from more than ten different manufacturers have been recalled. The majority of cases have been attributed to Global Pharma Healthcare. This India-based company manufactures EzriCare and Delsam Pharma eye drops.
According to the CDC, the eye drops were contaminated with an antibiotic-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( P. aeruginosa), an aggressive bacterium.
Pseudomonas is a type of bacteria that is present in the environment, and P. aeruginosa is the one that infects people the most frequently.
The infection is reportedly common in healthcare settings. It spreads due to poor hygiene, such as dirty hands or medical equipment and surfaces that are not adequately cleaned.
According to the CDC, P. aeruginosa is resistant to multiple antibiotics and has caused about 32,600 infections in patients hospitalized in the US and an estimated 2,700 deaths.
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain in the outbreak is extremely rare and has never been seen in the United States, according to the CDC’s update.
The bacteria has infected 68 people in 16 states as of March 14. Of those cases, 37 of them were linked to four healthcare clusters.
Signs of infection include yellow, green, or clear discharge from the eye; red eyes or eyelids; eye pain or discomfort; feeling like there’s something in the eye; increased sensitivity to light; and blurry vision.
The CDC has advised anyone experiencing symptoms of eye infection after using EzriCare or Delsam Pharma eye drops to seek medical attention immediately.