The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have advised the public to stop using specific non-sterile alcohol-free wipes after several products were found to be contaminated with Burkholderia stabilis.
Burkholderia stabilis rarely causes infection in healthy people. However, immunocompromised individuals, and individuals with other risk factors such as cystic fibrosis, or patients at home with intravenous lines are at higher risk of developing infection.
There have been 51 confirmed cases in an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis in the UK between 2018 and 2025, which is now suspected to be associated with some non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products.
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The affected products are:
- ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
- Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free
- Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
In addition, testing also revealed contamination of Reliwipe Alcohol free Cleansing Wipes, although the contamination was deemed to be with a Burkholderia strain not related to the outbreak cases.
The products have been withdrawn from sale and are not routinely used in the NHS.
Though the UKHSA said the wipes may still be found in some first aid kits and in people’s homes.
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No deaths have been linked to the outbreak, although there have been some serious infections which have required hospital treatment. No person-to-person transmission has been identified.
The UKHSA said it wanted to remind the public that non-sterile alcohol-free wipes should not be used for the treatment of injuries, wounds or on broken skin, nor should they be used for cleaning intravenous lines, as they are not appropriate for these purposes and 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.
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‘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.’
He explained that the government agency ‘uncovered the link to this outbreak through testing of wipes used by patients and worked quickly to notify health professionals through a patient safety alert, reinforcing existing infection prevention and control guidance’.
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