Health chiefs have urged Britons to check their first aid kits for three brands of skin cleansing wipes linked to an outbreak of life-threatening bacteria.
It comes after an investigation by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found the non-sterile wipes to be contaminated with Burkholderia stabilis bacteria.
Officials have confirmed 51 people have been affected by the outbreak in the UK between 2018 and 2025.
The bacteria has not caused any deaths so far but the UKHSA said ‘there have been some serious infections which have required hospital treatment.’
This type of bacteria doesn’t tend to affect the general population, but can infect those with compromised immune systems and cystic fibrosis.
It is also more likely to infect people who use the wipes when preparing an intravenous (IV) line—which administers medications and fluids—at home.
They believe the cases are likely linked to three particular skin wipe brands that are alcohol-free and not marketed as ‘sterile’.
These include ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes, Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free and Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes.
The officials have urged people to bin the alcohol free wipes that are not marked as ‘sterile’
Their tests also revealed another brand, Reliwipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes, were contaminated, but not with the Burkholderia strain linked to the outbreak.
These products, which may have been used for ‘skin cleansing’ and cleaning around wounds, have been pulled from shelves but may still be in first aid kits, they warned.
In rare cases, if it causes a serious bloodstream infection, Burkholderia stabilis bacteria can be life threatening.
If anyone has bought the named wipes, the UKHSA has urged them to bin them in their household waste as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, if you have used the wipes, they said you do not need to seek medical advice unless you have certain symptoms.
These include a wound or break in skin with redness, swelling, increased pain, warmth around it, pus or other drainage.
Similarly, you should do so if you have an infection involving an IV line with redness, swelling, or pain around the insertion site and or fevers and chills.
Going forward, they have advised people to only use wipes labelled as ‘sterile’ on broken skin such as wounds, scratches, or where you can see blood.
They have also warned people to check the wipes in their first aid kits which are marked as ‘sterile’, ensuring that the packaging is not damaged, and the products are in date.
If any are damaged or are past their expiry date, they urged people to dispose of them in their household waste.
And if you manage an IV line yourself at home, they advise only using wipes if and as instructed by your medical team.
They added that other non-sterile, alcohol-free wipes, although not included in the alert, shouldn’t be used to treat injuries, cut and broken skin as ‘their safety cannot be guaranteed’.
Dr James Elston, consultant in epidemiology and public health at UKHSA, said: ‘While the overall risk to the public remains very low, a number of non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products have been linked to an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis.
‘It is important these types of wipes are not used for the treatment of injuries, wounds, or broken skin, and that they are not used to clean intravenous lines.’
Meanwhile, Dr Cave, chief safety officer of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency added: ‘We consider wipes which are intended for a medical purpose to be medicines.
‘These products do not have a medicines authorisation.
‘Anyone who has used alcohol-free wipes and has concerns about potential infection is advised to speak with a healthcare professional.’
This bacteria is different to the deadly Burkholderia pseudomallei that kills up to 50 per cent of people it infects and is now listed as an endemic along the US gulf coast.
Experts have said the more deadly bacteria is lurking in soil and stagnant water across the 1,600 miles from Texas to Florida.
Those suffering with Burkholderia pseudomallei can develop pneumonia and sepsis which can be fatal.
