DermaRite Industries has issued a widespread recall of hand soaps and antiseptics contaminated with the antibiotic-resistant bacterium Burkholderia cepacia. The recall follows concerns that immunocompromised individuals could face life-threatening sepsis from these products.
DermaRite admitted that the contaminated products—including DermaKleen, KleenFoam, DermaSarra, and PeriGiene—may cause only mild infection in healthy users but pose serious dangers to individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with cystic fibrosis or chronic lung disease. The bacteria’s resistance to treatment makes this a serious public health risk.
Products with expiration dates ranging from mid-2025 through early 2027 were distributed across the United States and Puerto Rico. Although no adverse events have been reported to date, DermaRite and the FDA are acting out of caution. Consumers and distributors have been urged to destroy any affected products immediately.
Critically, this recall underscores failures in manufacturing quality control and regulatory oversight. The presence of such a dangerous microbe in products designed to promote cleanliness raises immediate questions about production safety. The absence of reported injuries offers no assurance—this should serve as a wake-up call for stronger safeguards in everyday health products.
