WASHINGTON – US officials are reporting two more deaths and more cases of vision loss related to eye drops contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria.
The eye drops from EzriCare and Delsam Phama were remind in February and health authorities continue to track infections as they are investigate the outbreak.
In the government’s most recent tally, 68 people have been diagnosed with infection by the bacterium, resulting in a total of three deaths and eight cases of vision loss, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Tuesday. That’s more than one death and five cases of permanent vision loss reported in the last month.
The CDC said four people underwent surgery to remove an eyeball due to the infections.
The outbreak is considered of particular concern because the bacteria that fuel it are resistant to standard antibiotics.
The CDC has now identified cases in 16 states, including California, New York, Illinois, Texas and Pennsylvania. Most cases have been associated with four regional clusters, and Ezricare’s drops are the only product used by patients in each of these groups.
The recalled drops were made by Global Pharma Healthcare in India, where the bacterium – Pseudomonas aeruginosa – is often linked to hospital outbreaks. It can spread through contaminated hands or medical equipment.
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