Ocean County Leader

The CDC warns of outbreaks of extensively drug-resistant bacteria associated with EzriCare eyedrops. Contaminated eye drops have sickened people in 12 states including NJ.

This is an official CDC HEALTH ADVISORY Distributed via the CDC Health Alert Network February 1, 2023, 7:00 PM ET CDCHAN-00485.

Outbreak of Extensively Drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Associated with Artificial Tears Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory about infections with an extensively drug-resistant strain of Verona Integron-mediated Metallo-βlactamase (VIM) and Guiana-Extended Spectrum-β-Lactamase (GES)-producing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (VIM-GES-CRPA) in 12 states.

Summary: The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) Communicable Disease Service (CDS) is issuing a Health Advisory about infections with a rare drug-resistant strain of Verona Integron-mediated Metallo-β-lactamase (VIM) and Guiana-Extended Spectrum-β-Lactamase (GES)-producing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (VIMGES-CRPA) in 12 states, including New Jersey. Most case-patients reported using artificial tears. Patients reported more than 10 different brands of artificial tears, and some patients used multiple brands. The majority of patients who used artificial tears reported using EzriCare Artificial Tears, a preservative-free, over-the-counter product packaged in multidose bottles. CDC laboratory testing identified the presence of the outbreak strain in opened Ezri Care bottles with different lot numbers collected from two states. Per CDC guidance, patients and healthcare providers should immediately discontinue using EzriCare artificial tears pending additional guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Recommendations for the Public:

Discontinue using EzriCare Artificial Tears pending additional guidance from CDC and FDA. • If patients were advised to use EzriCare Artificial Tears by their healthcare provider, they should follow up with their healthcare provider for an alternative artificial tears product to use. • Patients who used EzriCare Artificial Tears and who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection, such as discharge from the eye, eye pain or discomfort, redness of the eye or eyelid, feeling of something in the eye, increased sensitivity to light, or blurry vision, should seek timely medical care. At this time, CDC does not recommend testing of patients who have used this product and who are not experiencing any signs or symptoms of infection.

Original source can be found here.