Tainted Wipes Blamed in Toddler Death

Families urged to check homes for recalled alcohol wipes
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 16, 2011 4:24 AM CST
Tainted Wipes Blamed in Toddler Death
"There was no other explanation that made any sort of sense," the boy's father says. "He contracted a very rare bacteria. These swatches were tainted with that bacteria."   (Shutter Stock)

The parents of a 2-year-old boy who died from a rare infection blame contaminated alcohol swabs and wipes for his death. Their son was recovering well from surgery before he contracted a fatal case of meningitis caused by a bacteria rarely found in hospitals. The couple say their son's death was a mystery to them until a relative spotted an FDA recall notice for all alcohol wipes made by the Triad Group due to contamination with the same bacteria, MSNBC reports.

"These wipes were used in his care every single day, multiple times a day,” said the boy's father. The couple is suing the Wisconsin medical products supplier for gross negligence. The recall affects millions of pads and wipes distributed to hospitals and major chains, and the boy's mother fears her son's death may be the first of many caused by the products. "People buy alcohol pads and they last a long time in your bathroom. They’re sitting there now,” she says. “I wouldn’t want any other mother to go what I’ve gone through." (More meningitis stories.)

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