The CDC has now identified cases in 16 states, including California, New York, Illinois, Texas and Pennsylvania. Most of the cases have been linked to four regional clusters and Ezricare’s drops are the only product used by patients in each of those groups.
Atlanta (WBAP/KLIF) – The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is collaborating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state and local health departments to investigate a multistate outbreak of an extensively drug-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Two more deaths and additional cases of vision loss linked to eyedrops tainted with a drug-resistant bacteria.
The eyedrops from Ezricare and Delsam Pharma were initially recalled in February.
In the latest government tally, 68 people were diagnosed with infections from the bacteria, which has now caused a total of three deaths and eight cases of people losing their vision, The CDC said four people have undergone surgery to remove an eyeball due to the infections. The bacteria driving it is resistant to standard antibiotics.
Patients can contact FDA’s Consumer Complaint Coordinators.
The outbreak strain, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Verona integron-mediated metallo-β-lactamase and Guiana extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (VIM-GES-CRPA), had never been reported in the United States prior to this outbreak.
The CDC and FDA recommend clinicians and patients stop using EzriCare or Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears products pending additional guidance from CDC and FDA.
(Copyright 2023 WBAP/KLIF 24/7 News. This report contains material from the CDC).