This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Widespread drug-resistant strains are spreading in the United States for the first time, causing an alarming outbreak linked to artificial tear eye drops, according to an alert issued Wednesday night by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It caused a variety of infections in 55 people in 12 states, killing one, hospitalizing others, and permanently blinding them.
Infected patients reported using more than 10 brands of artificial tears collectively, with some patients using multiple brands. But the most common brand used among patients was her EzriCare artificial tears, a preservative-free product sold by Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers.
Although no recall has been announced by the Food and Drug Administration, the CDC recommends that clinicians and patients discontinue use of EzriCare artificial tear products until additional guidance is received from the CDC and the FDA. The manufacturer of EzriCare artificial tears has announced that it plans to recall the product, which is also marketed as Delsam Pharma’s artificial tears.
strong enemy
The culprit behind the outbreak was Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are highly versatile and inherently drug-resistant bacteria that lurk in the environment, especially freshwater. It is known to cause a variety of skin, wound, burn, lung, and systemic infections. It most frequently strikes people with immunocompromised conditions such as cystic fibrosis and is known to cause outbreaks in medical settings, especially among those using indwelling devices such as catheters and breathing tubes. In the hospital environment, it lurks in sinks, ice machines, utensil washers, respiratory therapy equipment, and soap bars.
In the current outbreak, 35 of 55 infected patients were associated with 4 clusters of health facilities. Of these four healthcare-related clusters, the EzriCare artificial tears product was the only product common across institutions. CDC investigators also found outbreak Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strains in opened containers of EzriCare artificial tear bottles manufactured in different lots and collected from patients in two different states.
The outbreak strain is a rare, broadly drug-resistant strain aptly named Verona integron-mediated metallo-beta-lactamase (VIM)- and Guiana extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (GES)-producing carbapenem-resistant strains. Pseudomonas aeruginosa— or VIM-GES-CRPA for short.
Despite multi-drug resistance Pseudomonas aeruginosa Although the VIM-GES-CRPA strain has long posed a threat in the United States and elsewhere, this is the first time that VIM-GES-CRPA has been found to be circulating in the United States. The strain is resistant to a variety of antibiotic weapons, including cefepime, ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam, aztreonam, carbapenem, ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftrozane-tazobactam, fluoroquinolone, polymyxin, amikacin, gentamicin, and tobramycin, the CDC reports. I’m here.
So far, antibiotic susceptibility testing against three outbreak isolates has shown that the VIM-GES-CRPA strain is a new antibiotic approved by the FDA in 2019 to treat multidrug-resistant urinary tract infections. suggesting that it remains susceptible to certain cefiderocols.
In the current outbreak, which began in May 2022, researchers collected 13 sputum or bronchial lavages, 11 corneal swabs, 7 urine samples, 2 blood samples, 25 rectal swabs, and 4 other non-sterile sources. isolated the outbreak strain from Patients developed a variety of infections in inpatient and outpatient settings. These include eye infections (corneal infections (keratitis) and infections of the tissue or fluid within the eye (endophthalmitis)), respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, and sepsis. increase. The patient who died had a systemic infection.
So far, 12 states have had cases: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. increase.
response
In a February 1 statement, EzriCare, LLC said it is cooperating with the CDC and FDA in their investigation. “As of today, we are not aware of any conclusively relevant tests. Pseudomonas aeruginosa The company has revealed that there has been an outbreak into EzriCare artificial tears. ”
EzriCare said it had limited involvement with artificial tears products sold under other brand names, but did not identify other brands. The only input role was to design the exterior label and market it to customers,” the company said. The eye drops are manufactured in India by Global Pharma Healthcare PVT Limited and imported into the US by Aru Pharma Inc.
Global Pharma Healthcare posted a press release on its website dated February 1 stating that it is voluntarily recalling its artificial tear products, although no formal recall notice has been posted by the FDA.
