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A bottle of Better Homes & Gardens room spray was found to contain a rare bacterium that causes scabies.
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Walmart recalled the spray after contaminated bottles were found in the homes of people who died from the disease this summer.
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There have been three other cases of melioidosis in the U.S. this year, but only one has been linked to the spray.
A bottle of aromatherapy spray sold at more than 50 Walmart stores was found to contain deadly bacteria and has been recalled, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday.
The spray, a blend of lavender and chamomile essential oils developed by Better Homes & Gardens, was recently discovered in the home of a Georgia man who died of a bacterial disease called melioidosis in late July.
This week, the CDC identified Burkholderia pseudomallei, a bacterium known to cause sinusoidosis, in the spray. Melioidosis is rare in the United States, with approximately 12 cases reported each year. It is commonly found in India, where the spray is manufactured, but also in Southeast Asia and northern Australia.
This bacterial disease causes a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, chest pain, and muscle aches, and can be confused with other common illnesses such as the flu, common cold, and COVID-19. . Human-to-human transmission is extremely rare.
Three more cases of milioidosis were reported earlier this year. According to U.S. News, there was a death in Kansas in March. In May, two patients in Minnesota and Texas were hospitalized and recovered, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The CDC is investigating whether these individuals used the same product.
Walmart on Thursday pulled the remaining bottles of Lavender and Chamomile Spray from its stores and website, along with five other scents from the same product line. The CDC is still investigating whether related products may pose a risk.
The CDC recommends that people who have this aromatherapy spray at home:
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Please stop using this product immediately. Do not open the bottle. Do not throw the bottle in the regular trash or dispose of it.
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Double-pack the bottle into a clean, clear zip-top bag and place it inside a small cardboard box. Return the bagged and boxed items to your Walmart store.
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Wash sheets and linens that may have been sprayed with the product using regular laundry detergent and dry thoroughly in a hot dryer. You can use bleach if necessary.
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Wipe counters and surfaces that may have been sprayed with undiluted Pine-Sol or a similar disinfectant.
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Limit your handling of spray bottles and wash your hands thoroughly after touching bottles or linens. If you use gloves, wash your hands afterwards.
If you have used the product within the past 21 days and have a fever or other symptoms of milioidosis, the CDC recommends that you seek medical attention. If you have no symptoms but have been exposed to the product in the past 7 days, your doctor may recommend antibiotics to prevent possible infection.
Insider has reached out to Walmart for comment.
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