One death, several go blind after using EYEDROPS ‘contaminated with superbug’

Eyedrops feared to be contaminated with a bacterial superbug are thought to have killed at least one person and caused blindness in several more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an urgent warning over EzriCare Artificial Tears, a popular over-the-counter drug sold across the US.

They are believed to be at the center of 50 eye infections across 11 states between last May and this January, including one that was fatal and several more that caused ‘permanent blindness’.

All patients were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa – a drug-resistant bacterial strain that usually spreads in hospitals. 

CDC investigators found all of the patients had used EzriCare Artificial Tears before they fell ill, and they are now probing whether the products were contaminated.

EzriCare’s eyedrops are all-natural, meaning they do not include preservatives that could protect from contamination from the bacteria.

The drops were previously sold at Walmart and on Amazon, though the products have since been pulled.

While the CDC has not yet confirmed EzriCare’s eyedrops are the cause, the agency has advised against using them while it investigates.

‘CDC recommends that clinicians and patients immediately discontinue the use of EzriCare Artificial Tears until the epidemiological investigation and laboratory analyses are complete,’ the agency wrote.

Cases of the bacterial infection have been reported in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Patients reported to the CDC that they had used the eyedrops before they fell ill.

At least 50 patients have suffered an illness as a result of the drops. 

Patients suffered blindness, respiratory infections and urinary tract infections, among other illnesses.

A blood infection suffered by one person led to their eventual death. It is unclear if the patient suffered an underlying condition that put them at an increased risk.

In a statement last week, EzriCare said it had not received any reports of adverse effects from its products and has not been asked to conduct a recall.

‘In an abundance of caution, EzriCare recommends that during this evolving situation you discontinue use of any portions of EzriCare Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops you may have until we can discover more details about any potential safety concerns,’ the firm wrote.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes infections in the blood and lungs, the CDC reports.

Like many other superbugs, it is most common in hospitals – where bacteria find a way to survive in hyper-sterilized environments.

The agency reported 32,600 infections in 2017, the most recently available data. An estimated 2,700 patients died from the ailment.

It is most associated with contamination on ventilators, catheters and other similar medical devices.

While it is usually treated with antibiotics, the CDC notes that they can often be ineffective as strains of the bacteria build resistance.

In the most severe cases, infections can result in pneumonia or sepsis – and infection of the blood – and lead to death.