Soap recall broadened to more than 30 products after Burkholderia cepacia detection
New Jersey-based DermaRite expands July recall to include deodorants, shampoos, lotions and hand sanitizers distributed across the U.S. and Puerto Rico; no infections reported so far
DermaRite Industries LLC has expanded an urgent recall first announced in July after laboratory tests detected the bacteria Burkholderia cepacia complex in multiple antiseptic cleansers and related personal-care products, the company said. The expanded action now covers more than 30 additional brand names, including deodorants, shampoos, lotions and hand sanitizers distributed throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
The company said exposure to the bacterium may "result in serious and life‑threatening infections" for immunocompromised individuals and called on recipients of affected shipments to examine and destroy inventory. To date, DermaRite said it has not received reports of infections linked to the recalled products and has not disclosed how the contamination occurred.
DermaRite’s original July recall covered antiseptic cleansers sold under names including DermaKleen, DermaSarra, KleenFoam and PeriGiene. The company’s latest notice adds 28 brand names and dozens of product types, many marked with expiration dates on or before August 2027 or labeled 08/2027. The expanded list of affected items includes, among others, 3‑N‑1 Cleansing Foam, DermaCerin jars and tubes, DermaDaily lotions, DermaKleen and DermaKlenz products, DermaRain bottles and bag‑in‑box sizes, GelRite gels, Hand‑E‑Foam, KleenFoam, Lantiseptic skin therapies, LubriSilk lotion, McKesson Skin Protectant, PeriFresh and PeriGiene perineal cleansers, PeriGuard ointments and Renew and TotalBath skin and body cleansers. Many items are sold in multiple sizes and case quantities, and some items are listed as all lots on or before the stated expiry.
The recall notice warns that Burkholderia cepacia complex can cause severe infections in people with weakened immune systems, especially those with cystic fibrosis, which affects roughly 40,000 Americans and is diagnosed in about 1,000 new patients each year, largely in children under two. The bacterium is known to colonize and persist in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis, often resisting common antibiotics.
Health officials and infectious‑disease specialists describe B. cepacia as a pathogen that can spread through respiratory droplets and by contaminating moist environments and medical equipment. In people with cystic fibrosis, colonization is often chronic; about one in five patients with cystic fibrosis who carry the bacteria will progress to a severe illness that can include bloodstream infection. In some cases the bacterium can trigger a rapidly progressing pneumonia known as Cepacia syndrome, which can be fatal.
DermaRite’s advisory said healthy people with minor skin lesions who use the products may develop local infections, while immunocompromised users or caregivers attending to such individuals may be at risk of bloodstream infection and life‑threatening sepsis. The company urged consumers and healthcare facilities that received shipments to examine available inventory and destroy affected products and advised consumers to contact a physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced problems they believe could be related to product use.
Treatment options for B. cepacia infections are limited because the bacterium resists many antibiotics. Clinical reports note that some antibiotics, including trimethoprim‑sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim), meropenem and ceftazidime, can be effective, but there is no universally established regimen. Physicians often combine oral antibiotics with those given intravenously, and outcomes vary; severe infections can lead to multi‑system organ failure and death.
People at heightened risk beyond those with cystic fibrosis include patients with sickle cell disease, people undergoing active cancer treatment, burn patients and others with compromised immune systems. The bacterium can persist in moist household environments such as sinks and humidifiers and can contaminate medical devices in hospitals, increasing the risk of healthcare‑associated transmission if contaminated products are used in patient care settings.
Consumers who believe they have purchased or received affected products should stop use immediately and follow the company’s guidance to destroy the items. Health care providers and facilities should check inventories for listed lot numbers and expiration dates and remove suspect products from patient care areas. Anyone with concerns about exposure or signs of infection should consult a physician.
DermaRite’s public notice included detailed product descriptions, item numbers and expiration dates covering many sizes and package configurations. The company continues to investigate the source of contamination and has not linked any reported illnesses to the recalled items as of the latest advisory.