Three people have died, and four others have had their eyeballs removed because of rare bacterial infections linked to eyedrops, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency has identified 68 patients in 16 states with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacterium resistant to most antibiotics. At least eight patients have lost vision in one of their eyes. Some had to undergo corneal transplants.
Most of the people said they had used a variety of eyedrops before becoming ill, but EzriCare Artificial Tears were the most commonly reported. The drops have since been recalled, along with Delsam Pharma's Artificial Tears and its Artificial Eye Ointment.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria is found in water and soil and in the hands of otherwise healthy people. People with weakened immune systems tend to get infections in hospital settings. As many as 37 patients were linked to four health care facility outbreaks, according to the CDC.
The agency said that this particular drug-resistant strain of the bacteria had never been seen in the United States before this outbreak.
Most of the patients had eye infections. Others were found to have respiratory or urinary tract infections. Deaths can occur when the bacteria enter the bloodstream.
The CDC alerted the public to the potential danger in a statement dated January 20. It is working with the Food and Drug Administration and state health departments to identify additional cases.
People should seek medical care if they have symptoms of an eye infection, according to the CDC.