Kleenex hand sanitizer recalled for containing dangerous bacteria

GlobalPost

Are you one of those germaphobes who obsessively applies hand sanitizer? Bad news: you may be covered in germs. Manufacturer Kimberly-Clark has voluntarily recalled a Kleenex-brand hand sanitizer in Canada because of microbial contamination, UPI reported.

The company is recalling 430 large-volume dispensers of Kleenex-brand Luxury Foam Hand Sanitizer. Company tests found that those containers contained a bacteria in the Burkholderia cepacia group, UPI said.

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The bacteria is not likely to hurt healthy individuals. But people with weakened immune systems can develop serious infections if exposed to it, according to a Health Canada press release

The press release does not explain how, exactly, the containers became contaminated. 

However, even if they weren't contaminated, researchers have long been suspicious of fancy hand sanitizers, even sanitizers from the "luxury foam" variety. Scientists warn that expensive anti-bacterial washes aren't better than ordinary soap and may even encourage superbugs, the Daily Telegraph reported back in 2007.

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