CDC advises against using EzriCare eye drops as it investigates dozens of infections and one death in 11 states - CNN

CNN  — 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging wellness attraction providers and consumers to halt utilizing EzriCare Artificial Tears arsenic it conducts an probe into astatine slightest 50 infections successful 11 states that person led to instances of imperishable imaginativeness loss, hospitalization and 1 death.

Most of the radical with these infections reported utilizing artificial tears, and EzriCare was the astir communal brand, the bureau says. These oculus drops are preservative-free, meaning they don’t person ingredients to forestall bacterial growth.

Testing of unfastened EzriCare bottles identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria that were resistant to carbapenem antibiotics arsenic good arsenic the antibiotics ceftazidime and cefepime. Testing of unopened bottles is ongoing, the CDC says.

“CDC recommends that clinicians and patients instantly discontinue the usage of EzriCare Artificial Tears until the epidemiological probe and laboratory analyses are complete,” the bureau says.

New Jersey-based EzriCare says in a statement dated January 24 that it has not received immoderate user complaints oregon adverse lawsuit reports.

“We person not been asked to behaviour a recall. EzriCare does not manufacture the Lubricant Eye Drops,” the connection says.

“Nevertheless, and successful an abundance of caution, EzriCare recommends that during this evolving concern you discontinue usage of immoderate portions of EzriCare Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops you whitethorn person until we tin observe much details astir immoderate imaginable information concerns.”

Pseudomonas bacteria are communal successful the environment, specified arsenic successful ungraded and water. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is usually dispersed successful wellness attraction settings, the CDC says, and is progressively hard to dainty due to the fact that of antibiotic resistance. It caused much than 32,000 infections successful hospitalized patients and astir 2,700 deaths successful the US successful 2017.