Rare Bacteria That Killed Georgian Found in Aromatherapy Oil Sold at Walmart

If you recently purchased “Better Homes & Gardens Lavender & Chamomile Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones” from Walmart, you need to stop using it immediately.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta says a Georgia resident died this summer of a rare disease caused by bacteria found the aromatherapy spray.

They say the unidentified victim died of melioidosis, and was one of four people nationwide infected with bacteria similar to that found in the contaminated spray.

According to the CDC, the spray is “Better Homes & Gardens Lavender & Chamomile Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones.”

The CDC is coordinating with state health departments in Kansas, Minnesota and Texas to try to determine whether the other three patients may have also used this or similar products.

Melioidosis is a rare but serious disease, with about 12 cases reported annually in the United States.

However, most of the U.S. cases are connected with a person being exposed while traveling out of the country but in these four fatal cases, none of the victims had traveled outside the U.S.

The disease causes a wide range of symptoms that can be confused with certain common illnesses, like flu or a cold but is rarely contagious.

Julia Petra is an epidemic intelligence officer with the CDC.

She recently told Georgia Health News that the Kansas, Texas and Minnesota victims were diagnosed while they were in the hospital.

The Georgia victim who died wasn’t diagnosed until the body was autopsied.

Samples of soil and water, along with household items, were collected and sampled by the agency beginning in April and May.

But Petras said the spray wasn’t discovered as the possible cause until earlier this month.

Additionally, she said a sample of the Better Homes & Gardens spray tested positive last week for the bacteria that sickened the four patients is similar to that of strains usually found in South Asia.

The aromatherapy spray was made in India, the largest country in South Asia..

The contaminated spray was sold at about 55 Walmart stores and on Walmart’s website between February and Thursday.

Walmart has pulled the spray and related products from store shelves and its website.

If you have purchased Better Homes & Gardens Lavender & Chamomile Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones you need to stop using the product immediately.

Do not open the bottle. Do not throw away or dispose of the bottle in the regular trash.

Double-bag the bottle in clean, clear zip-top bags and place in a small cardboard box. Return the bagged and boxed product to a Walmart store.

The CDC also recommends washing sheets or linens that the product may have been sprayed on, using normal laundry detergent and then drying them completely in a hot dryer; bleach can be used if desired.

Wipe down counters and surfaces that might have the spray on them with undiluted Pine-Sol or a similar disinfectant.

Limit how much you handle the spray bottle and wash hands thoroughly after touching the bottle or linens. If you used gloves, wash hands afterward.

If you have used the product within the past 21 days and have a fever or other flu-like symptoms, seek medical care and tell your doctor you were exposed to the spray.

If you do not have symptoms but were exposed to the product in the last seven days, your doctor may recommend that you get antibiotics (post-exposure prophylaxis) to prevent infection.