Health chiefs have linked dozens of infections to certain cleaning wipes and urged people to stop using them to treat cuts and scrapes. Officials said certain products should be binned immediately to avoid contamination.
The warning comes after an outbreak of burkholderia stabilis (B. stabilis) bacteria. There have been 51 confirmed cases between 2018 and 2025, with some serious infections requiring hospital treatment, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Products linked to outbreak
Health chiefs said the outbreak is "suspected to be associated with some non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products". The UKHSA and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are advising people to stop using these products, which they may find in their at-home first aid kit, and to put them in the bin.
The affected products include ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes, Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free and Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes. Testing also found contamination of Reliwipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes, though with a different strain of the bacteria linked to the outbreak.
Warning extends beyond listed products
While the warning only relates to the wipes listed, officials have reminded the public that non-sterile alcohol-free wipes should not be used for the treatment of wounds. Dr James Elston, consultant in epidemiology at the UKHSA, said 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," Elston said. "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."
Regulatory action underway
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA's chief safety officer, said the agency considers wipes intended for medical purposes to be medicines. "These products do not have a medicines authorisation, and we are taking appropriate action to ensure compliance with the requirements of the applicable legislation governed by MHRA," Cave added.
She advised people to check labels on any wipes at home or in first aid kits. "Only use wipes marked as 'sterile' on broken skin," Cave said. When treating cuts and grazes, officials stressed it is important to follow NHS advice.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
