The CDC is warning consumers to discard any EzriCare Artificial Tears because they might be linked to a drug-resistant bacterial infection.
Fifty people in eleven states have had confirmed cases of Pseudomonoas aeruginosa. One person has
died and three others have permanent vision loss. The majority of those affected reported using the preservative-free EzriCare Artificial eyedrops.
It is unknown if the patients had underlying eye conditions such as glaucoma or cataracts that would have made them more prone to infection. Eleven of the fifty patients developed eye infections while the remaining developed either respiratory infections or urinary tract infections and the one fatality occurred because the bacterium entered the patient's bloodstream.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be found in water or soil and can just occur on the hands of healthy individuals. Hospitals are the most common setting for infections to occur due to people having compromised immune systems.
