Acanthamoeba infection: What you need to know Jun 1, 2007
Acanthamoeba causes three main types of illness involving the eye (keratitis), the brain and spinal cord (Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis), and infections that can spread from an entry point to the entire body (disseminated disease) ... Acanthamoeba keratitis infection has been associated with contact lens use, although people who do not use contact lenses can become infected ... The symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis can be very similar to the symptoms of other more common eye infections. (Food Consumer)
FAQs About Acanthamoeba Jun 1, 2007
Acanthamoeba keratitis primarily affects otherwise healthy people, most of whom wear contact lenses ... No known cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis being spread from one person to another have been reported ... Early diagnosis is essential for effective treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. (U.S. News & World Report)
AMO Lens Solution Recall: Stock Drops, Outbreak Still a Mystery May 31, 2007
They've been down this road before To the manufacturer's credit, Advanced Medical reacted swiftly once it was advised of the CDC's findings - unlike rival Basuch and Lomb, which was accused of dragging its heels for weeks over the ReNu Fusarium Keratitis infections of 2006. Still, there have been problems in the past for AMO. In November, Advanced Medical recalled 2. (Lawyers and Settlements)
An Eye on Contact Lens Solutions May 31, 2007
The disease involved in last year's ReNu MoistureLoc recall was the fungal infection Fusarium keratitis ... The CDC interviewed 46 people who had the condition, called acanthamoeba keratitis, and found that 21 of them reported using Complete MoisturePlus amounting to a risk seven times greater for people using the product than those who weren't. (Time.com)
Doctors of Optometry Support AMO's Voluntary Solution Recall, Urge Contact Lens Wearers to Discontinue Use May 30, 2007
Although a cause has not been officially determined, health officials from the federal government are investigating reports that Acanthamoeba keratitis, a corneal bacterial infection, has been potentially linked to the Complete(R) MoisturePlus(TM) brand contact lens solution ... Recently, there have been reports of increasing incidences of Acanthamoeba keratitis ... Co-infection with a bacterial keratitis is common both in contact lens cases and on the cornea, which can complicate prevention,... (PR Newswire)
Movers: Companies in the news May 30, 2007
The company eventually withdrew its product entirely after it was tied to the potentially blinding fusarium keratitis eye fungus. After first appearing in Singapore and Hong Kong, the illness affected more than 150 people in the United States. (International Herald Tribune -- Business Asia)
CDC: Eye infections, product may be linked May 30, 2007
Recent cases of acanthamoeba keratitis, a stubborn eye infection, prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend that consumers throw away bottles of Complete MoisturePlus solution and any contact lenses or cases that were used with it ... Dr. Brad Randleman, an assistant professor in the department of ophthalmology at Emory School of Medicine, is currently treating several patients for acanthamoeba keratitis ... Q. What's the link between Complete MoisturePlus and... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
Recall hits Advanced Medical Optics May 30, 2007
said late Friday it was issuing a global recall for its Complete MoisturePlus lens solutions because of reports that 21 users of the product since January 2005 had contracted acanthamoeba keratitis, an infection of the cornea that can lead to blindness ... Also known as AK, acanthamoeba keratitis is generally seen in contact-lens wearers whose lenses have come in contact with contaminated water or have not been properly cleaned ... Last week, Advanced Medical said it was considering making an... (MarketWatch)
Warning: Discard Dangerous Contact Solution May 30, 2007
The infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis, is caused by a parasite ... Acanthamoeba keratitis may lead to vision loss with some patients requiring a corneal transplant ... The symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis can be very similar to those of other more common eye infections and may include eye pain or redness, blurred vision, light sensitivity, sensation of something in the eye or excessive tearing, but Acanthamoeba is more difficult to treat. (Click2Houston, TX)
AMO Lens Solution Recalled, Could Cause Blindness May 29, 2007
Advanced Medical Optics of Santa Ana, California yesterday triggered a voluntary recall of its product after an investigation by the CDC linked the product to an infection known as Acanthamoeba keratitis - inflammation of the cornea ... The Centre for Disease Control has identified and confirmed 138 cases of keratitis, a condition usually affecting healthy people who wear contact lenses - since January of 2005 ... Officials with the CDC did state, however, that the risk of developing keratitis... (Lawyers and Settlements)
Contact Lens Solution Yanked May 29, 2007
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the company is making the move as a precaution, after reports of acanthamoeba keratitis, which is caused by a parasite ... Symptoms of acanthamoeba keratitis include pain in an eye, redness, blurry vision, light sensitivity. (CBS News -- 60 minutes II)
CDC warns about contact lens solution May 29, 2007
The solution seems to be a factor cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a painful eye infection that can lead to permanent vision loss or blindness ... An estimated 85 percent of U.S. cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis occur in contact lens users, but it's extremely unusual - the estimated prevalence is one to two cases per 1 million contact lens wearers. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
Contact lens users put on alert May 29, 2007
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety alert on Advanced Medical Options Complete MoisturePlus-No Rub contact lens solution, after the Atlanta-based Centres for Disease Control confirmed 138 cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, an extremely rare but serious infection caused by a parasite, among users of the solution ... She added that no cases have been reported so far, unlike last year involving Bausch and Lomb's Renu MoisturePlus contact lens solution and the Fusarium keratitis... (Gulf News)
Infection outbreak baffles officials May 28, 2007
"It is beyond comprehension," said Dr. Dan Jones, the chairman of ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who on Friday detected a case of acanthamoeba keratitis, which is behind the current outbreak. Acanthamoeba keratitis is caused by a parasite ... Last year's outbreak -- of fusarium keratitis -- was caused by a fungus; there were 164 confirmed cases. (FOX59, IN)
Health Highlights: May 27, 2007 May 28, 2007
The infection in question is Acanthamoeba keratitis, which is caused by an amoeba, the A.P. quotes Michael Beach, team leader in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's division of parasitic diseases, as saying ... Neither the FDA nor Advanced Medical Optics said the contact lens solution caused increased cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, the wire service reported ... Because Acanthamoeba keratitis strikes only one or two people per million, the situation came to the government's... (Forbes)
Contact Lens Solution Voluntarily Recalled May 28, 2007
The company is taking this action as a precaution because of reports of a rare, but serious, eye infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis, caused by a parasite ... Acanthamoeba keratitis may lead to vision loss with some patients requiring a corneal transplant ... The symptoms of Acanthamoeba keratitis can be very similar to those of other more common eye infections and may include eye pain or redness, blurred vision, light sensitivity, sensation of something in the eye or excessive tearing but... (Science Daily)
Company recalls contact lens solution May 28, 2007
The CDC had interviewed 46 patients who had developed Acanthamoeba keratitis since January 2005 and 39 of these patients were soft contact lens wearers and 21 reported using Complete MoisturePlus products. Acanthamoeba keratitis can produce corneal ulceration and cause severe loss of vision and even blindness. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Contact lens solution linked to infection May 28, 2007
Investigators found that the solution has been linked to 138 confirmed cases of the Acanthamoeba keratitis infection since 2005, but they said the findings were only 'preliminary' -- and that the solution has not been officially confirmed as the cause of all those cases. Almost 85 percent of previous Acanthamoeba keratitis infections in the United States have been linked to contact lens use, the newspaper said. (Monsters and Critics.com)
Eye-risk contact product recalled in Shanghai May 28, 2007
The solution is believed to increase the danger of contracting the rare eye disease acanthamoeba keratitis ... According to a Saturday statement by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the solution is suspected to be the cause of acanthamoeba keratitis, which can result in severe loss of vision or blindness ... Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, water parasite that can cause the potentially devastating scanthamoeba keratitis. (Xinhuanet, China)
AMO Announces Voluntary Recall of Complete® Moistureplus™ Multipurpose Solution May 27, 2007
CDC data was made available to AMO today showing that it had completed interviews with 46 patients who had developed Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) since January 2005 ... Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare, but serious, infection of the cornea. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration -- Alerts)
CDC: Dont use that contact lens solution May 27, 2007
The warning was announced after an ongoing government investigation found a potential association between use of the contact lens solution and an increased risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Acanthamoeba keratitis is a painful eye infection that can cause permanent vision loss or blindness ... The CDC estimated that one or two out of one million of contact lens users are affected by Acanthamoeba keratitis, meaning that about 35 to 70 out of 35 million contact lens users in the US suffer from the... (Food Consumer)
Ophthalmologists Available to Comment on Eye Infection Update May 26, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO, May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- In light of information released today regarding an outbreak of Acanthamoeba keratitis among contact lens users, the American Academy of Ophthalmology urges all contact lens wearers to be alert for symptoms of the infection and be especially diligent about maintaining safe contact lens-care practices ... Consumers should be aware of the signs of Acanthamoeba keratitis. (PR Newswire)
Advanced Medical Inc. considers a higher bid for Bausch & Lomb Inc. May 25, 2007
Federal regulators called its ReNu with MoistureLoc multipurpose contact lens cleaner, a $100 million-a-year product, the potential root cause of a flurry of potentially blinding Fusarium keratitis infections in the United States, Asia and other parts of the world. Sponsored Links. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Bausch & Lomb agrees to a $3.67 billion buyout May 17, 2007
Lawyers expect several hundred people will seek damages for Fusarium keratitis infections in trials beginning as early as this summer. Of the 180 infection victims confirmed so far in 35 states, 59 needed cornea transplants to try to restore their vision, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said. (MSNBC -- Business)
Warning over MRSA cases Apr 13, 2007
For the first time refractive surgery has been linked to a risk of developing MRSA keratitis, a study in the April edition of the American Journal of Ophthalmogy has revealed ... According to a computerised Medline literature search, this is the first case series of infectious keratitis after refractive surgery ... One of the study authors, Eric D Donnenfeld, advised surgeons to be vigilant for community-acquired MRSA keratitis and to inform all patients of the risk factors. (Optician Online)
Drug-resistant Bacterial Infections Serious Complication After Corrective Eye Surgery Apr 11, 2007
These are the first cases of MRSA infectious keratitis following refractive surgery, the first reports of MRSA keratitis after refractive surgery in patients with no known exposure to a healthcare facility, the first report of MRSA keratitis after a laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) enhancement, and the first reports of MRSA keratitis after prophylaxis with fourth generation fluoroquinolones ... Writing in the article, Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, advises that, "MRSA infectious keratitis is a... (Science Daily)
UI scientist must give documents to court Mar 9, 2007
Bausch took the product off the market in April 2006; four months later, the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated several possible scenarios in which 164 MoistureLoc users nationwide contracted the fungus Fusarium keratitis. Sindt's documents will be used in a lawsuit pending in Highlands County, Fla. (Daily Iowan, IA)
Bausch & Lomb recalls lens solution Mar 7, 2007
Severe eye damageLast May, Bausch & Lomb permanently withdrew its new-formula MoistureLoc multipurpose cleaner from markets around the world when federal regulators called the product the potential root cause of an outbreak of Fusarium keratitis infections ... Lawyers expect several hundred people will seek damages for Fusarium keratitis infections in trials beginning as early as this summer. (MSNBC -- Health)
Bausch & Lomb recalls 1.5 million bottles of ReNu MultiPlus contact lens solution Mar 7, 2007
Last May, Bausch & Lomb permanently withdrew its new-formula MoistureLoc multipurpose cleaner from markets around the world when federal regulators called the product the potential root cause of an outbreak of Fusarium keratitis infections ... Lawyers expect several hundred people will seek damages for Fusarium keratitis infections in trials beginning as early as this summer. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Bausch & Lomb sees 2006 revenue falling below previous guidance on slow recovery Feb 1, 2007
Consumer lawsuits have also been piling up in U.S. courts lawyers now expect 500 to 700 people will seek damages for Fusarium keratitis infections in trials beginning as early as this summer. The lawsuits could wind up costing Bausch & Lomb $1 billion in damages, analyst David Maris estimated last year when he was working with Banc of America Securities. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Tampa ophthalmic company looks to France for eye product Jan 19, 2007
"This product has the potential to advance the medical treatment of herpes simplex keratitis," said C. Stephen Foster, founder and president of , clinical professor of ophthalmology, , in a release. The company hopes to file a new drug application for ganciclovir ophthalmic gel with the by the end of calendar year 2007. (Tampa Bay Business Journal, FL)
Herpes treatment fails in animal testing Dec 31, 2006
The company said animal tests to gauge the effectiveness of QR-435 against Herpes Keratitis, when the herpes simplex virus infects the eye, showed that the treatment did not remain in the eye long enough to penetrate the cells to get to the virus. The treatment has eliminated the virus on direct contact in other studies. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
Advanced Medical recalls contact lens solution Nov 22, 2006
"Non-sterility of a contact lens solution may have serious health consequences, including eye infection and microbial keratitis," the company said, though it considered the likelihood of harm to be "low.". The company has halted all manufacturing at the China factory to clean it, which it expects to take 10 to 12 weeks. (ABC News -- Wire)
Advanced Medical Optics Announces Voluntary Recall of 18 Lots of Complete® MoisturePLUS™ Contact Lens Care Products Distributed and Sold in the U.S. Nov 22, 2006
Non-sterility of a contact lens solution may have serious health consequences, including eye infection and microbial keratitis. AMO has not received any reports of adverse health events associated with the recalled product lots in the U.S.. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration -- Alerts)
Big recall of contact lens solution in Asia Nov 22, 2006
The announcement comes just six months after the global recall by rival Bausch of its ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution after it was linked to keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea with serious consequences. Advanced Medical said that its product, too, could cause keratitis, though it considered the likelihood of harm to be "low." It has halted all manufacturing at the China factory in order to clean it, a process the company expects will take 10 to 12 weeks. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Contact Lens Infections Not Reported, FDA Says Nov 7, 2006
Hundreds of cases of Fusarium keratitis were reported and linked to the product, though it was never determined what exactly caused the problem. F. keratitis can lead to blindness if not treated. (Click2Houston, TX)
Leading Reason For Corneal Transplants Comes Into Focus Oct 18, 2006
(August 24, 2006) -- Researchers have additional information concerning the recent outbreak of the corneal infection Fusarium keratitis, which was associated with use of a specific contact lens solution, according to a. . (Science Daily)
OHSU eye doctor says laser surgery safer than contacts Oct 10, 2006
Data extrapolated from a study in Lancet shows the lifetime risk of bacterial keratitis to be 1 in 100 for contact lenses worn daily. Bacterial keratitis is an infection that causes an inflammation of the cornea and can lead to vision loss ... The risk of bacterial keratitis has changed little over the years for contact lens wearers and is the same worldwide. (EurekAlert!)
Researchers Identify Dart-like Molecule In Age-related Macular Degeneration Sep 12, 2006
A dart-like molecule that adheres to proteins in the eye is the key that turns on the uncontrolled growth of blood vessels, according to researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. Uncontrolled blood vessel growth is a major contributor to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness among people over 65 in the United States. (Science Daily)
Case and Cleveland Clinic researchers identify molecule in age-related macular degeneration Sep 7, 2006
" The research is supported by an Ohio Board of Regents Biomedical Research Technology Transfer Award to the Cole Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health Grants as well as the Foundation Fighting Blindness and the American Health Association. For more than three decades, Salomon has worked in the area of lipid research. His work centers on the oxidation of lipids in the body that contributes to a host of diseases including glaucoma, keratitis and other eye diseases as well as Alzheimer's... (EurekAlert!)
Bausch & Lomb Stands by Product Recall Aug 25, 2006
The Rochester, N.Y.-based company said an article appearing in the Aug. 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association describes research conducted into why the products caused the potentially blinding Fusarium keratitis infection in users. The American Optometric Association released a statement late Tuesday confirming the infections were caused by a mix of poor wearer hygiene and compliance, together with the composition of the ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution. (MSN Money)
Withdrawn Contact Lens Solution Tied Once More to Fusarium Aug 24, 2006
Advise patients using soft contact lenses of the risk of Fusarium keratitis and review hygiene measures ... Review ATLANTA, Aug. 23 -- Minus a smoking gun, CDC researchers have nonetheless indicted a contact lens solution that was removed from the market earlier this year in the wake of a widespread outbreak of Fusarium keratitis ... There were 164 cases of Fusarium keratitis identified from June 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006 in 33 states and one U.S. territory, most of which (94%) involved... (MedPage Today)
Many with solution-linked fungus undergo corneal transplants Aug 24, 2006
The contact-lens solution, ReNu with MoistureLoc, was removed from worldwide markets in May after it was linked to several cases in the United States and Asia of fusarium keratitis, a fungal infection that can cause blindness ... From June 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, the CDC said it identified 164 confirmed cases of fusarium keratitis in the United States. (Buffalo News -- National)
Chemical Reaction May Have Caused Eye Infections Aug 24, 2006
For the 34 million contact lens wearers in the United States, the risk of developing keratitis, an infection that can lead to blindness or the need for a corneal transplant, is about four to 21 per 10,000 ... In May, Bausch stated that the combination of moisturizing agents exclusive to MoistureLoc could increase the risk of keratitis infections in unusual circumstances ... For this study, which appears in the August 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, CDC researchers... (MEDLINEplus)
More Data On Lens Solution Infection Aug 23, 2006
The CDC study released today shows that 164 confirmed cases of the corneal infection Fusarium keratitis were reported in 33 states and a U.S. territory from June 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 ... If a patient has microbial keratitis, consider that a fungal infection may be involved ... Report cases of fungal keratitis in contact lens wearers to the FDA.. (CBS News)
More Study Needed To Determine Source Of Eye-Infection Outbreak Aug 23, 2006
ReNu with MoistureLoc was taken off store shelves in May after many people reported they experienced painful eye infections caused by a common fungus called fusarium keratitis ... "There were 164 confirmed cases of fusarium keratitis, and we found that users of Bausch & Lomb's MoistureLoc solution were (more than) 20 times more likely to get this infection than people who didn't use this solution," Park said. (WRAL.com, NC)
New research finds B&L contact-lens solution users needed corneal transplants Aug 23, 2006
The contact-lens solution, ReNu with MoistureLoc, was removed from worldwide markets in May after it was linked to several cases in the United States and Asia of fusarium keratitis, a fungal infection that can cause blindness ... Between June 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006, the CDC said it identified 164 confirmed cases of fusarium keratitis in the U.S. Of those, 94 people reported using ReNu with MoistureLoc and another 21 people reported using that solution along with others to clean their contact... (10NBC.com, NY)
Lens solution, outbreak linked Aug 23, 2006
The outbreak, which began last summer, involved 164 confirmed U.S. cases of fusarium keratitis, a rare eye infection caused by fusarium fungus. Of those patients, 55 needed corneal transplants to save their sight, according to the report, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Eye fungus culprits: solution, hygiene Aug 23, 2006
Park said that the "genetic diversity" of the fungus, Fusarium keratitis, they found after tests of contact lens cases, the factory and unopened bottles indicated that improper care contributed to the outbreak. "This bug is a fungus that can be found in many different areas, including sinks and drains. The next question is why this one solution," Park said. (Newsday)
Government issues final report on eye infection outbreak Aug 23, 2006
A study conducted by the CDC confirmed those who contracted the eye infection fusarium keratitis were 20 times more likely to use Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with Moisturelock lens solution than any other brand. However, examination of various samples of the product showed the infection was not present in the ReNu solution. (WROCTV.com, NY)
Probe: B&L not directly to blame Aug 23, 2006
Instead, the study, released Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests that the outbreak of Fusarium keratitis, a sight-threatening infection, "may" have been caused by a complex and undetermined interaction between MoistureLoc, the Fusarium fungus and, possibly, the lens case or contact lens itself. Investigators noted that MoistureLoc contains two ingredients not found in other soft contact lens solutions currently on the market, and that those unique properties "may... (USA Today -- Money)
Chemical Reaction May Have Caused Eye Infections Aug 23, 2006
For the 34 million contact lens wearers in the United States, the risk of developing keratitis, an infection that can lead to blindness or the need for a corneal transplant, is about four to 21 per 10,000 ... In May, Bausch stated that the combination of moisturizing agents exclusive to MoistureLoc could increase the risk of keratitis infections in unusual circumstances ... For this study, which appears in the August 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, CDC researchers... (Health-Finder)
Chemical Reaction With Lens Cleaner Caused Eye Infections Aug 23, 2006
According to CDC scientists, ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens solution was linked to an outbreak of Fusarium Keratitis - a fungal eye infection - as a result of a chemical reaction within the solution ... What is Fusarium Keratitis ... Keratitis is inflammation of the cornea. (Medical News Today)
Contact lens contamination cause corneal infection: study Aug 23, 2006
Microbial keratitis is a serious and rare infection that may lead to permanent vision loss or require corneal transplantation treatment. According to JAMA, the annual incidence of microbial keratitis is four to 21 per 10,000 soft contact lens wearers ... By June 30, 2006, researchers had identified 164 confirmed cases of Fusarium keratitis in the U.S.. (Xinhua)
Probe Not Sure What Caused Eye Infections Aug 23, 2006
"There were 164 confirmed cases of Fusarium keratitis, and we found that users of Bausch and Lomb's MoistureLoc solution were over 20 times more likely to get this infection than people who didn't use this solution," Park said. He also said the fungus is common in the environment and is often found in bathrooms, sinks and other water sources. (Click2Houston, TX)
Contact Solution Eye Infections Investigation Aug 23, 2006
Renu with Moisture Loc, a contact lens cleaning solution was taken off the market in May after some people using it got a painful eye infection called fusarium keratitis. Doctor Benjamin Park and his colleagues at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated with health officials from thirty-three states, and with the Food and Drug Administration, to investigate the fusarium infection outbreak. (FOX Carolina, SC)
Business Digest Aug 23, 2006
Fusarium keratitis infections hit 164 people in 33 states and one territory, with one-third of patients needing corneal transplants, the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. While the CDC found 10 species of the fungus in patients, none were found at Bausch's factory, warehouse or in unopened bottles of MoistureLoc cleaning solution. (Sunspot.net -- Business)
Bausch & Lomb warns of earnings shortfall Aug 10, 2006
The eye-care company permanently pulled its ReNu with MoistureLoc solution from markets worldwide in mid-May as health officials investigate its links to an outbreak of Fusarium keratitis infections dating back to June 2005. Worldwide, the number of cases of the potentially blinding infection approached 300, spokeswoman Meg Graham said. (Buffalo News)
First Human Trial Of Antibacterial Contact Lens Jun 30, 2006
Microbial keratitis, a serous eye disease that can cause blindness, occurs in one in 500 contact lens wearers per year if they sleep in lenses. There is currently no antibacterial contact lens in the market. (Science Daily)
Singapore Eye Infections Heighten Contact Lens Concerns Jun 28, 2006
It was outbreaks in Asia and the United States of cases of the fungal infection, called Fusarium keratitis, that sparked the May 15 market recall of Bausch #39;s lens solution ReNu with MoistureLoc ... That study also revealed that Bausch in a letter last month, had pretty much pinpointed what in the solution was causing the Fusarium keratitis ... Fusarium keratitis is usually a rare infection, but cases in Singapore have increased sharply since March 2005, according to doctors who wrote the new... (Forbes)
Contact lens fungus link to blindness Jun 28, 2006
The infection - called fusarium keratitis - has prompted the withdrawal of one type of lens cleaning solution used by many of those affected ... They continued: "We believe that Singapore is facing a new and unprecedented outbreak of fusarium keratitis and that this is the first time that such an outbreak has been reported among contact lens wearers anywhere in the world. "By highlighting this serious outbreak of fusarium keratitis among contact lens wearers in Singapore, we hope to alert... (Scotsman)
Reports Characterize Fungal Eye Infections Among Soft Contact Lens Wearers Jun 14, 2006
Fusarium, the fungus implicated in recent eye infections among soft contact lens wearers, is associated with an increasing number of cases of keratitis (corneal swelling and inflammation), according to a report published online in Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals ... Keratitis, or swelling and inflammation of the transparent membrane known as the cornea, has been associated with wearing soft contact lenses, but such infections usually have not been caused by fungi ...... (Science Daily)
More Cases of Eye Infections Linked to Recalled Contact Lens Solution Jun 14, 2006
This infection, called Fusarium keratitis, involves a swelling and inflammation of the cornea that can be harmful to the structure of the eye and the patient's vision ... In the new study, lead researchers Dr. Eduardo C. Alfonso and colleagues at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, reported on 34 cases of fungal keratitis, from January 2004 to April 2006, seen in people who wear soft contact lenses ... Alfonso noted that at the University of Miami there were only three cases of... (MEDLINEplus)
Infected for life Jun 13, 2006
A research team led by Nigel W. Fraser, PhD, Professor of Microbiology, has found that herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), the virus that causes cold sores and ocular keratitis, produces an miRNA molecule. This miRNA is encoded by the Latency-Associated Transcript gene (LAT) in the viral genome and works through a process called RNA interference to prevent normal cell death or apoptosis. (EurekAlert!)
FDA CAPSULES May 30, 2006
INITIAL FINDINGS OF BAUSCH & LOMB INSPECTION. Observations from an FDA inspection of a Bausch & Lomb manufacturing plant "do not necessarily support" a connection between the formulation of the company's ReNu with MoistureLoc contact lens cleaner and Fusarium keratitis infections, the agency says. The FDA emphasizes that the findings are preliminary. (Newsday -- Health)
