- See a doctor 'immediately' if you get an eye infection and use EzriCare eye drops, the CDC said.
- The CDC issued the recommendation because 55 people tested positive for a drug-resistant bug.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is testing unopened bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears eye drops amid an outbreak of drug-resistant bacteria that may be linked to the product.
As Insider previously reported, "permanent vision loss" resulting from an eye infection was reported and one person died from a bloodstream infection. The patients tested positive for a multi-drug resistant bacterium, called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause infections in the blood, lungs, or wounds. The germ is getting harder to treat as it evolves defences against antibiotics so it doesn't get killed as easily, known as antibiotic resistance. The bacteria usually spreads to people in hospitals or other healthcare settings when they're exposed to contaminated water or soil, where it typically lives, according to the CDC.
A drug-resistant bug was found in opened EzriCare eye drop bottles
On Wednesday the CDC said 55 patients across 12 states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin) had tested positive for a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that hasn't been detected in the US before. That was up from 50 patients across 11 states in its last update on January 20. Samples were taken from patients in hospitals and outpatient clinics between May 2022 and January, it said.
Most patients told the CDC that they had used EzriCare Artificial Tears. Subsequent lab tests detected a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that matched the outbreak strain in opened bottles from patients with and without eye infections in two unnamed states.
"Testing of unopened bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears is ongoing to assist in evaluating for whether contamination may have occurred during manufacturing," the CDC said.
A recall of the product is expected
EzriCare said in a statement on Wednesday that it was unaware of testing that had "definitively" linked the Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak to EzriCare Artificial Tears. But, it said it has stopped selling the product, which is manufactured in India by a company called Global Pharma Healthcare PVT Limited and marketed under other brand names too.
"We understand that Global Pharma Healthcare PVT Limited will be initiating a recall of the product, but as of the date and time of this Press Release that has not happened," EzriCare said.
Insider has contacted Global Pharma Healthcare PVT Limited for comment.
Signs of an eye infection include redness and pain
As the CDC continues its investigation, it recommends that people stop using EzriCare Artificial Tears, speak with a healthcare provider for alternative treatments, and see a doctor "immediately" if they experience any symptoms of an eye infection after using the drops.
Signs of an eye infection include: redness of the eye or eyelid, blurry vision, increased sensitivity to light, eye pain, the feeling like there is something in your eye, and unusual discharge.
People who have used this product and are not experiencing any signs or symptoms of infection don't need a test for the bug, the CDC said.