Contaminated eye drops: Three people have already been killed in the United States and others are blinded

At least 68 people in the US have been infected with contaminated eye drops: He has already killed three, blinded eight, and four more have to have an eyeball surgically removed.

The cause is the use of contaminated eye drops a drug resistant bacteriumUS health authorities said.

Drops from pharmaceutical companies EzriCare and Delsam Pharma they were withdrawn from the market in February and health authorities continue to monitor cases of infection as they investigate the outbreak.

In the latest government count, 68 infections were diagnosed with the bacterium, which has caused a total of three deaths and eight cases of blindness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Tuesday. This figure is higher than one death and five cases of permanent blindness recorded last month.

The CDC said four people had to have surgery to remove an eyeball due to the infections.

The outbreak is considered particularly worrying because the bacteria causing it are resistant to standard antibiotics.

The CDC has so far identified cases in 16 states, including California, New York, Illinois, Texas and Pennsylvania. The majority of cases were linked to four regional clusters, and Ezricare drops are the only product used by patients in each of these clusters.

“Three people died and there were 8 reports of vision loss and 4 reports of enucleation (surgical removal of the eyeball),” the agency said, again without detailing where the most severe cases were, reports the New York Post .

It is also “extremely drug resistant”warned the center-right.

The recalled drops were manufactured by Comprehensive pharmaceutical healthcare in IndiaWhere the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is commonly associated with outbreaks in hospitals. It can be spread through contaminated hands or medical equipment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain “had never been reported in the United States prior to this outbreak.” It’s also “extremely drug resistant,” the CDC warned.

Second New York Postthe CDC noted that “patients have reported more than 10 different brands of artificial tears and some patients have used multiple brands,” but EzriCare artificial tears “they were the most commonly reported brands.”

“This was the only common artificial tear product identified across all four groups of healthcare facilities,” the notice reads.

“Patients and healthcare professionals you should stop using EzriCare artificial tears immediatelythe agency said.

“Patients who have used artificial tears from EzriCare or Delsam Pharma and who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection should see a doctor immediately.”

Users who “have no signs or symptoms of infection” should not seek medical attention, but should look out for symptoms such as blurred vision, redness, or a feeling that there is something in the eye, as well as “yellow, green, or clear discharge from the ‘eye