Contamination Of Eye Drops Research Articles

Adenovirus-related epidemic keratoconjunctivitis outbreak at a hospital-affiliated ophthalmology clinic

Adenovirus-associated epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (A-EKC) is a cause of large and prolonged outbreaks in ophthalmology clinics and can result in substantial morbidity. A-EKC outbreaks are often the result of contaminated ophthalmologic equipment, surfaces, or hands. Contaminated multidose eye drops are also a likely culprit, but few prior studies provide clear epidemiologic evidence that adenovirus transmission resulted from contamination of eye drops. We describe an A-EKC outbreak at a large, hospital-affiliated eye clinic that affected 44 patients. The unique epidemiology of the outbreak provides strong evidence that contaminated multidose dilating eye drops resulted in adenovirus transmission. Removal of multidose eye medication from the clinic, combined with case finding, enhanced infection control and enhanced environmental cleaning, led to rapid control of the outbreak.

Single-dose eyedrops

Eyedrops must be sterile, and the preservatives they contain should keep them so and should not harm the eye. Standards for the formulation of eyedrops are published in the British Pharmaceutical Codex 1969 which becomes official next week; the problem of ensuring sterility in unopened bottles of eyedrops has thus largely been solved. The preservatives now in use do not completely eliminate the risk of contamination of eyedrops, produce allergic reactions in a few patients, and must not be used during ophthalmic surgery when the eye is opened.

Contamination of eye drops used for vital staining. Bacteriological analyses of rose bengal-fluorescein, alcian blue and fluorescein-novesin, instilled from a needle-mounted tube.

Contamination of eye drops used for vital staining. Bacteriological analyses of rose bengal-fluorescein, alcian blue and fluorescein-novesin, instilled from a needle-mounted tube.