A recent outbreak of eye infections and other strange symptoms has been linked to a potential contamination of eye drops. The contamination has resulted in at least 68 known infections. At least eight people are now legally blind, four have had their eyes surgically removed, and three people have died. As a result, Global Pharma Healthcare (GPH), a pharmaceutical company based in India, has voluntarily recalled multiple products, such as EzriCare and Delsam Pharma brands of "Artificial Lubricant Eye Drops." Other pharmaceutical companies have also issued recalls for their own eye drop brands. The manufacturer Apotex recalled eye drops for patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. As a precautionary measure, Pharmedica USA recalled their "soothing" eye drops. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has since issued a mandatory recall of all potentially-contaminated products (2).
The responsible contaminant here is a gram-negative bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). P. aeruginosa is commonly found in nature and causes human infection most frequently through water or soil. Infection by the microbe is also highly transmittable in healthcare settings, especially when improper and/or incomplete sanitization is used (3).
Although many bacteria have associated antibiotics for treating infections, P. aeruginosa is resistant to every antibiotic it has been tested against. Laboratory work will be devoted to accelerating the creation of a vaccination or drug for treating infections, but this cannot happen quickly, so many infected patients will continue suffering.
Upon investigation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believe an accidental contamination occurred at one of the eye drop manufacturing sites. Accountability for this has not been taken by any company or manufacturing site in particular, but all members involved are making necessary precautions. The CDC, as well as the companies involved, are conducting investigations on the origin of this outbreak to hopefully prevent similar cases in the future.
With the recalling of products, eye drop users around the world are having difficulties in finding new, safe eye drops to use. CDC and other health officials are recommending that patients either continue using their trusted, big-name over the counter eye drops, or even consider not using or buying eye drops at all!
Citations
- https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/night-vision-eyedrops-allow-vision-of-up-to-50m-in-darkness-10138046.html
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eye-drop-recall-2023-brands-fda-bacteria-infection-cbs-news-explains/?intcid=CNI-00-10aaa3b
- https://abcnews.go.com/Health/death-toll-linked-contaminated-eye-drops-rises-3/story?id=98038783
- https://www.cdc.gov/hai/organisms/pseudomonas.html
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557831/figure/article-27947.image.f1/
- https://global-pharma.com/
Your provocative title and "eye-catching" graphic would certainly attract readers. You lede paragraph is concise, gets right to the point and clear. You explanation of the science behind the contamination is also concise and clear. The sources are widely read general interest media. Your description of the response of the manufacturers and regulators is also clear and fair. You tell us (at least by implication) how important these products are to patients as well as the severity of this contamination. Overall a very effective post.
ReplyDelete