Mycobacterium chelonae Eye Infections Associated with Humidifier Use in an Outpatient LASIK Clinic--Ohio, 2015.
Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery is increasingly common, with approximately 600,000 procedures performed each year in the United States. LASIK eye surgery is typically performed in an outpatient setting and involves the use of a machine-guided laser to reshape the lens of the eye to correct vision irregularities. Clinic A is an ambulatory surgery center that performs this procedure on 1 day each month. On February 5, 2015, the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department (TLCHD) in Ohio was notified of eye infections in two of the six patients who had undergone LASIK procedures at clinic A on January 9, 2015. The two patients experienced eye pain after the procedures and received diagnoses of infection with Mycobacterium chelonae, an environmental organism found in soil and water.
Chris
C
Edens
Lauren
L
Liebich
Alison Laufer
AL
Halpin
Heather
H
Moulton-Meissner
Samantha
S
Eitniear
Eric
E
Zgodzinski
Larry
L
Vasko
David
D
Grossman
Joseph F
JF
Perz
Marika C
MC
Mohr
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D000068998:Humidifiers; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016926:Mycobacterium chelonae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology