DermaRite Industries has issued a nationwide recall of multiple personal hygiene products due to contamination with Burkholderia cepacia, a strain of bacteria that may result in “serious and life-threatening infections,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
The voluntary recall, announced late last week by the North Bergen, N.J.-based manufacturer, covers several over-the-counter antiseptic lotion soaps, external analgesics, antimicrobial foam soaps and antiseptic cleansers.
According to the company, healthy individuals with minor skin lesions who use products contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex may develop localized infections.
However, in immunocompromised individuals, “the infection is more likely to spread into the bloodstream, leading to life-threatening sepsis,” the company said in a news release.
Infection with B. cepacia complex — a group of bacteria commonly found in soil and water — can be particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems or chronic lung diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms may range from none to serious respiratory infections, “especially in patients with cystic fibrosis or other chronic lung diseases.”
Fever and fatigue are also possible symptoms, the CDC said.
According to the company, consumers should immediately stop using select batches of the following four products, all of which can be purchased over the counter:
- DermaKleen, an antiseptic lotion soap with vitamin E indicated for handwashing to decrease bacteria on the skin, with expiration dates between July 2025 and February 2027;
- DermaSarra, an analgesic cream indicated for the relief of itching associated with minor skin irritations due to dry skin, insect bites, detergents and sunburn with a February 2026 expiration date;
- KleenFoam, an antimicrobial foam soap with aloe vera indicated for handwashing to decrease bacteria on the skin after changing diapers, after assisting ill people, or before contact with a person under medical care or treatment with expiration dates between August 2025 and January 2027;
- PeriGiene, an antiseptic cleanser indicated for use in the perineal area, with expiration dates between November 2025 and January 2027.
Labels of all affected products can be viewed on DermaRite’s website.
Originally Published:
