as of May 15, 81 patients from 18 states have become infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria strain that has never been reported in the U.S. prior to this outbreak. Cases have been reported in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Seven infected patients had specimens collected after the recall’s announcement, the CDC said. Of those, most either resided in long-term care facilities with other known cases or reported use of a recalled brand of artificial tears. Most of the patients who were infected with the bacteria reported using artificial tears with EzriCare, a preservative-free, over-the-counter product packaged in multidose bottles.