The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is raising the warning level regarding the recall of millions of packs of baby wipes sold at Target stores to Category 1, the highest recall level.
This comes after it was discovered to be contaminated with bacteria that can cause serious and life-threatening infections, especially in newborns, infants, and people with weakened immune systems.
The FDA explained that the contaminated products contain Burkholderia cepacia and Burkholderia gladioli bacteria, stressing that using these wipes may lead to serious health complications, and in some cases may even lead to death.
Target had announced earlier this month a voluntary recall of its unscented Up & Up baby wipes and Up & Up refreshing cucumber wipes, after receiving complaints from consumers who reported that the wipes had changed color and that they had experienced health symptoms suspected to be related to their use.
On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classified the recall as a Category 1 recall, a category reserved for situations where there is a reasonable likelihood that use of or exposure to the product could lead to serious health consequences or death.
The recall included approximately 6.4 million packs of Up & Up unscented wipes, in sizes of 20, 72, 216, 800 and 1200 wipes, in addition to 440,600 packs of wipes with a refreshing cucumber scent, in sizes of 72, 216 and 800 wipes, all packaged in plastic bags.
The affected products were sold in all Target stores in the United States, as well as through its website, with expiration dates ranging from May to November 2028.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Burkholderia cepacia and Burkholderia gladioli bacteria can cause infections ranging from mild to severe, and are more dangerous in infants, newborns, and people with weak immune systems, as the infection can spread to the bloodstream, causing blood poisoning or life-threatening pneumonia.
In healthy individuals, the effects of using contaminated products are likely to be limited to localized inflammations in the event of cuts or scratches on the skin.
The administration noted that the Burkholderia cepacia group of bacteria is also characterized by resistance to many antibiotics, which may make treating infections caused by it more difficult.
The administration reported that the manufacturer, Sapro Temizlik Ürünleri, and Target had received a number of consumer complaints and reports of side effects including discoloration of wipes, skin and eye irritation, as well as cases of inflammation that are still under investigation.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged consumers to immediately stop using the recalled products and return them to Target stores for a full refund.
