North Collier fire captain blinded by eyedrop bacteria; files lawsuit

A Collier County fire captain blinded in one eye is among more than five dozen victims linked to a multistate outbreak of a deadly bacteria tied to eyedrops.

Heather Mazurkiewicz, spokesperson for the North Collier Fire District, confirmed that Adam Di Sarro has been part of the firefighter community for over two decades — the majority of that with North Collier Fire.

Blinded in one eye after he received faulty eyedrops, he's one of at least 68 victims across 16 states. Di Sarro began receiving treatment for the symptoms in October 2022, according to a federal complaint.

Over recent months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, have warned patients and clinicians to stop using EzriCare or Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears products.

The products, which are manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare based in India, were recalled in February over potential bacterial contamination – tied to the multistate outbreak.

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Mazurkiewicz said Di Sarro's situation has a ripple effect on the department.

"This is a situation that has been caused out of no fault of anybody within the district, especially Adam," Mazurkiewicz said. "This was due to negligence of an organization. And that impacts the district because Adam is a captain, which is a rank that is achieved by a lot of work and a lot of training."

Mazurkiewicz said the fire district now has to move personnel to cover his shifts.

"It's a loss while he's recovering ... Institutional knowledge that a firefighter with his level of experience has," Mazurkiewicz said.

Mazurkiewicz said whether staff are affected by a local or national health concern, adding that North Collier firefighters have a bond.

"We will rally around our North Collier Fire family, and we will give Adam and his family all the support that they need," Mazurkiewicz said.

Mazurkiewicz said Di Sarro isn't yet ready to talk to local media and wishes to remain private.

North Collier Fire Chief Eloy Ricardo issued a statement supporting Di Sarro.

"Firefighters routinely face life-threatening situations as part of our profession, and the negligence associated with this product has far-reaching consequences for our department and the residents and visitors within our community," Ricardo wrote.

In addition to the three deaths, an investigation into the outbreak confirmed eight reports of vision loss and four cases of eyeballs being surgically removed as of March 14, the CDC said.

The outbreak of the drug-resistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa linked to recalled products like EzriCare and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears has reached 16 states, the CDC said. Sixty-eight patients had been identified as of March 14 – with more than half linked to four healthcare facility clusters, the CDC said.

Multiple types of infections, including eye infections, have been associated with the outbreak.

Pseudomonas is a bacteria that can be found in the environment, including in water and soil. There are several types of Pseudomonas. Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes the most infections in humans, according to the CDC.

It can spread to people through contaminated surfaces, equipment, water and more. The bacteria can cause infections in the lungs, blood and other parts of the body.

The infections are especially difficult to treat as Pseudomonas aeruginosa is "constantly finding new ways to avoid the effects of the antibiotics," the CDC notes.

Naples firefighter files civil lawsuit

According to a 16-page federal lawsuit filed Feb. 23 against EzriCare, EzriRx, AruPharma and Amazon, Di Sarro seeks $75,000 in damages.

The complaint said Di Sarro has been a firefighter for 21 years — 18 of those with the North Collier Fire District.

Di Sarro purchased two packs of artificial tears from EzriCare on May 12, 2022, and purchased another one Sept. 12, 2022, from Amazon to help his dry eyes, the lawsuit says.

The complaint says Di Sarro was unaware the products were adulterated and contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Di Sarro shortly after began experiencing irritation, swelling, extreme pain and discomfort in his eyes, according to the lawsuit.

The symptoms extended to discomfort in the skull, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to touch, blurred vision, and ultimately, blindness in his left eye.

Three of four EzriCare bottles in DiSarro's possession were tested and came back with a heavy growth of the bacteria, the lawsuit says.

The complaint alleges Di Sarro continues to suffer from left eye disfigurement, headaches, dizziness, blindness to his left eye and dizziness.

Di Sarro's lawsuit lists four complaints — strict product liability; negligence; negligence per se; and a violation of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, a state law offering consumer protection from prohibited conduct in trade or commerce.

Court records indicate that District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell dismissed the complaint without prejudice.

Megan Mann, spokesperson for the U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, declined to comment, citing an active case.

The Daily News couldn't reach Di Sarro's attorney, Robert Harris, nor Global Pharma Healthcare, for comment.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: North Collier Fire captain among victims in eyedrop bacteria outbreak