The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are reminding the public not to use 4 specified non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products under any circumstances due to an ongoing risk of infection associated with their use:
- ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
- Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free
- Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
- Reliwipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes (testing revealed contamination with a Burkholderia strain not related to the outbreak cases)
Additionally, UKHSA and MHRA would like to remind people that non-sterile alcohol-free wipes, of any type or brand, should not be used for first aid, applied on broken or damaged skin and should never be used for cleaning intravenous lines.
There have been 59 confirmed cases of Burkholderia stabilis associated with some non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products – identified in an outbreak in the United Kingdom from January 2018 to 3 February 2026. A small number of cases continue to be detected. These have included some serious infections which have required hospital treatment and 1 death has been attributed to Burkholderia stabilis infection.
Public advised to stop using some non-sterile alcohol-free wipes – GOV.UK