Bug in eye drops leaves one dead and dozens sick

A SUPERBUG outbreak linked to contaminated eye drops has left one person dead and dozens more in hospital.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said they had confirmed 52 cases as of March 21 linked to a brand of the medication available on the internet.

The drops, which are used to treat dry eyes, are believed to have been contaminated with an antibiotic-resistant bug that can prove fatal for immunocompromised patients.

Various batches of AaCarb, Aacomer and Puroptics branded carbomer eye gels were contaminated with Burkholderia cenocepacia — a type of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

The medications were manufactured by Indiana Ophthalmics, a company based in India, and can be bought online for as little as £4.50. UKHSA bosses believe the outbreak is now over, with the brunt of it occurring last autumn before the products were recalled in November. Most cases were spotted between October and December but one struck as early as January 2023. The most recent infection was February this year.

The vast majority were already in hospital being treated for another issue when they were given the eye drops by staff unaware they were using a contaminated product.

Of the cases, 25 were assessed by the UKHSA as having ‘clinioutbreak cally significant infections’ brought on by Burkholderia cenocepacia. Eleven suffered eye infections. Some developed ulcers in their eyeball, while others got conjunctivitis and a serious ‘deep tissue infection’.

Nine patients developed respiratory infections and four more had blood poisoning. The youngest patient was a baby, while the oldest was 91, the UKHSA said.

It was only after a surge of cases that officials were able to link the to the eye drops. This led to Indiana Ophthalmics issuing a voluntary recall of their three brands of carbomer eye gel in November.

The UKHSA issued a national patient safety alert in December advising all medics in the NHS to avoid using carbomer eye gels in high-risk patients, such as those undergoing chemotherapy.

In an update this week, the UKHSA lifted the restriction on using carbomer eye gels for highrisk patients after ruling the outbreak has now slowed.

It’s not the first time Indian eye- drop manufacturers have been linked to infections.

In April last year there was a wave of eye infections causing death and blindness in the US linked to products made by Global Pharma Healthcare in India.

American inspectors who visited the company’s plant in the state of Tamil Nadu found dirty equipment and clothing, missing safeguards and procedures and dozens of other issues.

The US Food and Drug Administration noted poor cleaning throughout the factory plus significant gaps in written procedures and training for employees. Surfaces that touched packaging ‘ were not cleaned, sanitised, decontaminated, or sterilised’ and there were gaps or mismatches in cleaning records.

Global Pharma Healthcare Pvt Ltd was found to have skipped important tests to double check its products were sterile.

It also failed to verify the ingredients it used to make the products, relying only on what its suppliers said.