Parents blame toddler's death on tainted alcohol wipes

MSNBC ^ | 2/15/2011 8:21:03 AM ET | By JoNel Aleccia

[Red Badger]

Millions of pads, swabs recalled because of same bacteria that killed 2-year-old boy

The parents of a 2-year-old Houston boy who died from a rare infection are suing makers of recalled alcohol prep products, claiming contaminated wipes and swabs transmitted bacteria that caused his fatal case of meningitis.

Sandra and Shanoop Kothari say their lively, dark-eyed toddler, Harrison, was recovering just fine from surgery to remove a benign cyst from near his brain and spinal cord last fall. But the day before he was set to be discharged after a week's stay, he developed a sudden and severe infection that worsened rapidly, causing multi-organ failure that led to Harrison’s death on Dec. 1, 2010.

Cultures showed he succumbed to acute bacterial meningitis caused by Bacillus cereus, bacteria typically found in rare food poisoning outbreaks, but not in hospital infections.

“They had no explanation as to how he contracted it,” said Sandra Kothari, 37, Harrison’s mother. “They know it’s rare in the hospital.”

Rare bacteria detected For more than a month, the family grieved without knowing the cause of their loss. Then, on Jan. 5, a relative saw a notice posted online by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All lots of alcohol prep wipes, perhaps tens of millions of swabs and pads manufactured by the Triad Group, a Wisconsin medical product supplier, were being recalled.

The reason? Potential contamination with Bacillus cereus.

[proud American in Canada]

The worst infection I ever developed was after my surgery in a hospital in Denver. I really don’t think they’re very clean.

I haven’t heard anything about a recall of tainted wipes, but that may be limited to the U.S.

[ReverendJames]

I have alcohol and hydrogen peroxide as well as a 2% solution of boric acid in my kit. The boric acid is great for clotting and is a great antiseptic.

[proud American in Canada]

It is not as effective as good hand washing.

When my son had his tonsils out, I had to ask the nurses/doctor to wash their hands. I couldn't believe it. They went from patient to patient without washing their hands.

Washing my hands is the first thing I do when I come home.

[Red Badger]

Then you’re all set to face the germ world with a well loaded ammo box...............;^)

[Red Badger]

The boric acid is great for clotting and is a great antiseptic.

And it kills roaches.............

[ReverendJames]

I researched Cryptosporidium and found it to be an ingestion type of contamination from water. It almost acts like cholera but no where as deadly. So how would you use HP to kill it? What surfaces would you spray it on (?) and where would it be persuasive?

[Red Badger]

Triad, Not just wipes but swabs and everything they made that had alcohol in it were recalled............

[ReverendJames]

I use it in a solution with sugar to kill carpenter ants. I buy the 99% at Home Depot, mix it with water and sugar and use a sprayer on their paths to the house. Later in the summer I get out the shop vac and suck up the bodies. It’s interesting to watch them bring out their dead or actually eat the stuff. I also put it down as a powder along their trail.

[Red Badger]

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm239319.htm

[ReverendJames]

Well where I live you have to have a first aid kit the size of a large fishing tackle box. I even have sutures in it. Plus duct tape, instant glue, and Maxi-pads. Ya can never tell what may come along like ripping off yer ear on a fence and the only thing you have is duct tape, crazy glue and some Maxi-pads.

[Red Badger]

Triad Alcohol Prep Pads, Alcohol Swabs, and Alcohol Swabsticks: Recall Due to Potential Microbial Contamination

[UPDATED 02/11/2011] Triad Alcohol Prep Pads are packaged with devices manufactured by Neuro Resource Group. The Triad alcohol prep pads should not be used.

[UPDATED 02/07/2011] Triad Alcohol Prep Pads are a component of Extavia (interferon beta 1-b) packaging marketed by Novartis. The Triad alcohol prep pads should not be used.

[UPDATED 02/05/2011] Triad Alcohol Prep Pads are a component of a convenience kit distributed with Watson’s Trelstar (triptorelin pamoate for injectable suspension) product. The Triad alcohol prep pads should not be used.

[UPDATED 02/01/2011] FDA reminded healthcare professionals about the safe use of non-sterile alcohol prep pads to clean and disinfect the surface of the skin.

[UPDATED 01/28/2011] Triad Alcohol Prep Pads may have been included in U.S. packaging for Arixtra Starter Kits manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The Triad alcohol prep pads should not be used.

[UPDATED 01/26/2011] Triad Alcohol Prep Pads are packaged for use with the kit presentation of Relistor (methylnaltrexone bromide) Subcutaneous Injection in the U.S. The Relistor vial and other components of the kit are not affected by the defective Triad alcohol pad. Relistor sold in single vials also is unaffected by this recall. Pfizer and Progenics advise patients using the Relistor kit not to use the Triad alcohol prep pads included in the Relistor packaging for 1 X 7 kits and 1 X 2 starter kits. When preparing to take their Relistor injection, patients should use an alcohol prep pad from a company other than Triad, or use a sterile gauze pad with isopropyl alcohol.

[UPDATED 01/21/2011] Triad alcohol prep pads packaged for use in the U.S. with Betaseron (interferon beta 1-b) should not be used by patients. There is no involvement or potential contamination of the Betaseron vial or other components in the Betaseron U.S. packaging. This issue is confined to the actual Triad alcohol prep products. Triad alcohol prep products are not used in Betaseron packaging outside of the United States. Bayer has halted shipments of Betaseron to its distribution network, until it can affect a replacement for the alcohol prep pad.

Bayer is instructing patients using Betaseron to immediately discontinue using the Triad alcohol prep pads included in the Betaseron packaging and dispose of those pads in the trash. When preparing to take their Betaseron injection, patients should use an alternative alcohol prep pad that is not subject to this Triad recall or use a sterile gauze pad in conjunction with isopropyl alcohol.

[UPDATED 01/14/2011] The Triad Group alcohol prep pads are co-packaged and distributed with Genentech medicines Boniva Injection, Fuzeon, Nutropin A.Q.Pen, Pegasys, and TNKase to customers in the United States. Genentech medicines are not contaminated and may continue to be used in accordance with the package insert. Patients and healthcare providers should not use the alcohol prep pads packaged with these medicines and should instead use an alternate alcohol prep pad that is not involved with the Triad Group recall.

[Posted 01/06/2011]

AUDIENCE: Pharmacy, Consumer, Risk Manager

ISSUE: Triad Group, a manufacturer of over-the-counter products and FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients of the recall involving all lots of alcohol prep pads, alcohol swabs, and alcohol swabsticks manufactured by Triad but sold as private labels at the consumer level. This recall has been initiated due to concerns about potential contamination of the products with Bacillus cereus. This recall involves those products marked as STERILE as well as non-sterile products. Use of contaminated alcohol prep pads, alcohol swabs, and alcohol swabsticks could lead to life-threatening infections, especially in at-risk populations, including immune suppressed and surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol prep pads, alcohol swabs, and alcohol swabsticks are used to disinfect prior to an injection. They were distributed nationwide to retail pharmacies and are packaged in individual packets and sold in retail pharmacies in a box of 100 packets. The affected Alcohol Prep Pads, Alcohol Swabs and Alcohol Swabsticks can be identified by either “Triad Group,” listed as the manufacturer, or the products are manufactured for a third party and use the names listed below in their packaging: Cardinal Health, PSS Select, VersaPro, Boca/ Ultilet, Moore Medical, Walgreens, CVS, Conzellin.

RECOMMENDATION: If a consumer has any of these types of products in their possession listing “Triad Group” as the manufacturer, they should not use the product and should return it to the place it was purchased for a full refund.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

* Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm1
* Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178

[proud American in Canada]

Thank you! :)

[Red Badger]

I’ll trade you Fire Ants for Carpenter ants any day................

[Red Badger]

Add some clean sterile gauze and cheesecloth stored in a ziploc bag and you’re invincible..............

[heartwood]

Best to wash a wound out with plenty of fresh clean water. Maybe put some antibiotic ointment on it. Have a tetanus shot if you haven’t had one in ten years and the wound is deep.

Remember this child dying of the infection is a freak event. Thousands of people used the alcohol swabs and didn’t become ill. Mothers were cleaning their babies’ umbilical stumps with them.

[ReverendJames]

Drove through Texas once and one came in through the vent and nailed me. I had to pull off the road it burned so bad. And that was only one!

[Bluebird Singing]

Protocol for IVs would include swiping the port of a saline lock with an alcohol wipe before attaching a tubing. That’s one way this bacteria could have been introduced into the baby’s bloodstream.

[ReverendJames]

Maxi-pads are sterile and are wrapped. They’re great for deep wounds. I have ‘lite days’ pads for large scrapes. All this is part of a kit I carry when I hike. It’s cheaper than buying first aid stuff. All that first aid stuff is really marked up and those pre-made first aid kits aren’t really worth it. You make up your own with what you need.

[Red Badger]

Now imagine getting bit by a dozen or so at the same time, all over your legs.
A couple of years ago I was bit so many times I got nauseous and dizzy.
A few years back a little girl died here from fire ant bites........

[goat granny]

quite a while back some freeper that had a son in the war said to send sanitary napkins cause they were light weight and great for some battle wounds in the fields..