In the United States, health authorities suspect eye drops caused the death of one person and serious injury to several others, due to drug-resistant bacterial contamination.
A particularly worrying situation. US health authorities have identified a bacterium in eye products from several brands, having infected 68 people and caused the death of one of them. These products have been withdrawn from the market.
It is of the BBC who shared this case this Friday, March 17. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 68 patients in 16 states carrying a rare strain of ‘Pseudomonas aeruginosa’.
And for good reason, no less than ten different brands have been identified as possibly linked to the epidemic, according to the CDC. Eye drops made in India and imported into the United States under two brands were pulled from shelves in January and February.
It is also from this period, that the CDC had advised to no longer use the artificial tears EzriCare and Delsam Pharma. The following month, the company that owns the Global Pharma brands issued a product recall following a formal recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Significant symptoms
Several series of tests were carried out on the vials opened by the patients, revealing the presence of the bacteria. Unopened vials are currently being tested to determine if contamination occurred during the manufacturing process.
This particularly rare strain according to the CDC, had never been detected in the United States before. In addition to the death of one of the victims, eight others lost their sight and four had their eyes surgically removed.
A representative from EzriCare said tests conducted so far did not establish a definitive link between the outbreak and the company’s products. “Where possible, we have reached out to our customers to advise them once morest continuing to use the product,” a spokesperson said.
Still, the CDC said anyone who used the recalled products and has symptoms should contact a doctor. Note that the symptoms are as follows: yellow, green or clear discharge from the eye, discomfort or pain, redness, blurred vision and increased sensitivity to light.
According to Statista, a market research firm, approximately 117 million Americans used eye drops and eyewash products in 2020.
