There has been a product recall for Vernacare Wetwipes and personal cleansing products, including bed baths, shampoo caps, wash mitts, cleansing wipes and barrier cloths. The recall follows the identification of a risk of microbiological contamination due to the detection of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, which can cause infection in humans.
The relevant batches are listed in the government’s recall notice.
Details of the recall can be found on the manufacturer’s website.
Hugh James is instructed by the family of a woman who died with this infection who was a regular user of these wipes.
Pseudoma aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and it rarely affects healthy individuals. It can cause a wide range of infections, particularly in those with a weakened immune system, for example cancer patients, newborns and people with severe burns, diabetes mellitus or cystic fibrosis.
The problem first came to light in Norway where there was a pseudomonas outbreak which involved 40 hospitals and over 380 cases of infection from October 2021 to May 2022. The contaminated cloths have caused many infections among patients in hospitals and contributed to at least eight deaths. The source of infection was detected at Oslo University Hospital in pre-moistened disposable washcloths of the type “Oasis Bedbath, Unperfumed” from the manufacturer Vernacare.
Use of the product in hospitals was stopped immediately, and the decline in detected cases was rapid after the source of infection was detected. This in turn led to the recall.
