5-year-old boy died from rare bacteria found in recalled aromatherapy spray, study says
A 5-year-old Georgia boy fell seriously ill and died after exposure to a rare bacteria found in a popular aromatherapy spray, according to a new research report.
The study, published March 3 in The New England Journal of Medicine, suggests the boy’s melioidosis infection was likely caused by a contaminated bottle of the Better Homes and Gardens-branded sprays recalled by Walmart last year after an outbreak sickened people in four states.
The rare illness is caused by bacteria typically found in tropical climates in Southeast Asia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The symptoms are wide-ranging and can include high fever, cough and chest pain — or lead to more serious ailments such as seizures and sepsis.
Around a dozen cases of melioidosis are reported in the U.S. each year, mostly among travelers returning from areas where the illness is widespread, the CDC said. But the NEJM report examines four cases in people who had not traveled outside the U.S.
“Isolates obtained from these four patients were clonal and matched an isolate of B. pseudomallei obtained from a bottle of room spray (Better Homes and Gardens brand), labeled as a ‘highly fragranced essential oil and semi-precious stone infused room spray’ with a ‘lavender and chamomile’ scent, that had been imported from India to the United States,” researchers wrote.
The 5-year-old was rushed to an emergency room July 12, 2021, after experiencing weakness, fever and vomiting, among other symptoms, according to the report. He was admitted to the hospital where he died four days later after suffering a “large cerebral infarction,” or stroke.
Researchers also said the boy was battling a COVID-19 infection, which likely exacerbated the melioidosis infection.
A bottle of the tainted room spray was later found in the child’s home, according to the journal. In October, the CDC positively linked the melioidosis outbreak to the aromatherapy sprays after researchers at the agency confirmed the “DNA fingerprint of the bacteria” in the spray matched those found infected patients, McClatchy News reported.
Cases of the deadly illness also were reported in Kansas, Texas and Minnesota.
“When you think about the thousands of things people come in contact with around their homes, it’s remarkable we were able to identify the source and confirm it in the lab,” Dr. Inger Damon, director of CDC’s Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, said at the time.
“CDC scientists and our partners found the proverbial needle in the haystack,” Damon said.
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 8:09 AM with the headline "5-year-old boy died from rare bacteria found in recalled aromatherapy spray, study says."