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Fusarium fungus cases growing
Fusarium is a fungus that is commonly found in plants and soil in warm regions of the world. It may produce mycotoxins in cereal crops that can affect human and animal health, when it enters the food chain. It is a common contaminant and a well-known plant pathogen, and it can also cause a range of infections in humans that occur in the nails and in the cornea of the eye. It is cases of cornea infection caused by the fusarium fungus that seem to be increasing, especially in contact lens users.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had the following information on its web site.
As of April 9, 2006, 109 cases of suspected Fusarium keratitis are under investigation by CDC and public health authorities in 17 states of the U.S.
"This is a serious infection and soft contact lens users should be mindful of the potential to develop this problem," said Dr. Daniel Schultz, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "We're advising consumers to practice good basic hygiene and follow manufacturers' instructions for proper use, cleaning and storage of their lenses, and report any signs of infection to their doctors."
They were also advising professionals in the eye industry that patients with certain types of problems should be referred to an ophthalmologist in order to obtain a specimen for laboratory analysis.
Some obvious ways for contact lens users to fight this, and many other infections, is to:
- Wash hands with soap and water, and dry (lint-free method) before handling lenses.
- Wear and replace lenses according to the schedule prescribed by the doctor.
- Follow the specific lens cleaning and storage guidelines from the doctor and the solution manufacturer.
- Keep the contact lens case clean and replace every 3-6 months.
- Remove the lenses and consult your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms such as redness, pain, tearing, increased light sensitivity, blurry vision, discharge or swelling.
- Regardless of which cleaning/disinfecting solution used, wearers may want to consider performing a "rub and rinse" lens cleaning method, rather than a no rub method, in order to minimize the number of germs and reduce the chances of infection.
- Avoid wearing your contact lenses overnight.
There have been 30 fully investigated cases studied, and 28 of these involved soft contact lenses.
In a surprise move, Bausch and Lomb is voluntarily stopping shipment of the ReNu Moisture Loc product while they investigate the cause of these infections. See these news articles.
Additional information is available on the FDA's website at Preliminary Public Health Notification - Fungal Keratitis Infections Related to Contact Lens Use.
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