Are your bathroom basics putting you at risk? 28 brands, 0 cases so far, and a hard warning

You wash, you moisturise, you sanitise. You expect safety. Fresh scrutiny now raises awkward questions about everyday routines.

A US manufacturer has widened a summer recall to sweep in dozens more personal care lines, from deodorants to shampoos. The trigger is a hardy bacterium that rarely bothers healthy people but can be devastating for those with fragile immunity.

What changed in the recall

DermaRite Industries, a New Jersey-based supplier to hospitals, care homes and retailers, has expanded its July recall after internal checks linked multiple antiseptic and skin-care products to potential contamination with Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). The company says there have been no confirmed infections connected to the affected items. The enlarged action now spans 28 additional brand names and covers items shipped across the United States and Puerto Rico.

28 brands are now implicated. The company reports zero known cases, yet urges customers to stop using and discard affected stock.

The move stretches beyond soaps and cleansers. It now captures selected deodorants, lotions, shampoos and hand sanitisers, including well-known lines sold into clinical and home settings. Many items list expiry dates reaching into August 2027, which means products could still be sitting in bathrooms, treatment trolleys and store cupboards.

Which products are affected

Early notices mentioned DermaKleen, DermaSarra, KleenFoam and PeriGiene. The updated list adds further labels found in hospitals and at home, such as TotalBath, GelRite hand sanitiser, Renew body washes and UltraSure deodorant pump sprays. Some items are in bottles and tubes; others are “bag-in-box” cartridges designed for wall dispensers.

Where items were sold

Distribution spans the US and Puerto Rico. Stock appears in hospitals, nursing facilities, pharmacies, online suppliers and general retailers. Some units will have moved through medical distributors before reaching clinics or consumers, so facilities may hold inventory without obvious retail branding.

Why this bacteria alarms clinicians

Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of environmental bacteria that thrive in moist places. They are a serious threat for people with weakened immune systems and for those with cystic fibrosis (CF), whose lungs are vulnerable to persistent infection. About 40,000 people in the US live with CF, and roughly 1,000 new cases are identified each year, often in very young children.

Bcc can dodge many common antibiotics. In CF, up to one in five colonised patients can progress to severe disease.

Doctors sometimes succeed using drugs such as trimethoprim‑sulfamethoxazole (often known as co‑trimoxazole), meropenem or ceftazidime. Yet there is no single, universally effective treatment. Regimens usually involve combinations taken by mouth and given intravenously. Even then, clearance can be challenging.

How B. cepacia spreads

Transmission usually happens via droplets from coughing or sneezing, or through contact with contaminated surfaces or liquids. It can persist on medical devices and in damp domestic areas, including sinks, humidifiers and showerheads. In high‑risk individuals, infection may accelerate into “cepacia syndrome”, a rapidly progressive pneumonia that destroys lung tissue. Published mortality estimates for that syndrome approach 75 per cent.

Who faces the greatest risk

• People with cystic fibrosis, including those with mild day‑to‑day symptoms.
• Patients receiving chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive treatments.
• Individuals with extensive burns or open wounds.
• Those with conditions such as sickle cell disease that weaken defences.
• Carers and family members who handle products used by high‑risk patients.

What you should do today

Stop using any item on the recall list. Isolate it, record the details, and arrange safe disposal.

• Check brand, size and packaging against the recall. Look for item numbers and expiry dates up to August 2027 on labels and cartons.
• Quarantine suspect products. Do not decant or top up dispensers; close pumps and seal bottles in a bag.
• Contact your supplier, pharmacy or facility manager for return or destruction instructions. Keep proof of purchase or delivery notes if available.
• If you are immunocompromised, or care for someone who is, replace affected items with unopened products from unaffected brands.
• If you have used a recalled product and feel unwell—fever, cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, unusual skin redness—seek medical advice promptly.
• Clean bathroom and dispenser surfaces with a product active against Gram‑negative bacteria. Rinse and dry refillable units fully before reuse.

How regulators and suppliers respond

DermaRite says it is working with partners to trace inventory and instruct destruction of affected stock. The firm has not disclosed the precise point of contamination. Investigations of this kind usually review water quality, raw materials, equipment hygiene and environmental monitoring inside manufacturing plants. Distributors often add their own notifications to clinics and retail channels.

Testing, cleaning and supply‑chain checks

Personal care manufacturers that sell into healthcare typically run routine microbiological tests, including checks for Bcc in water systems and finished goods. When contamination is suspected, companies may suspend lines, sanitise tanks and piping, and requalify processes before restarting. Health facilities tend to audit dispenser systems and purge any refilled bottles that could harbour bacteria.

Key signals to watch in the coming days

Clinics that care for CF patients may adjust infection‑control practices, especially around shared sinks and shower rooms. Carers could see temporary substitutions for hand hygiene products while suppliers replenish safe stock. Consumers might notice out‑of‑stock messages online as recalled lots are pulled and replaced.

Extra guidance for families and carers

Bathrooms create ideal moisture for Bcc. Aim for short, hot cleans followed by thorough drying. Wipe down sink rims and bottle bases where water pools. Empty and dry humidifiers daily. If you use wall‑mounted or refillable dispensers, switch to sealed cartridge systems where possible. Avoid “topping up” part‑used bottles, which can seed fresh product with residual microbes.

For those living with cystic fibrosis, ask your clinic about airway‑clearance routines during respiratory symptoms, vaccination schedules, and when to request sputum cultures. Keep a written list of current medications and allergies. If you are supplied hygiene products as part of home care, request confirmation that replacements are from unaffected lots.

If you need a quick risk check

Healthy users with intact skin face low risk of serious illness from incidental exposure. Minor skin infections can occur and warrant review. Immunosuppressed users, people with chronic lung disease, and children with CF should treat any compatible symptoms after use of an affected product as a reason to seek care. Keep the product to share batch details with clinicians, but store it sealed and away from living areas.