The manufacturer of Orajel teething swabs and Zicam cold relief products has voluntarily issued a nationwide recall due to possible fungal contamination, according to a notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. announced the recall on Friday, June 6, for certain Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, Zicam Nasal AllClear Swabs and Orajel Baby Teething Swabs. The affected products, which were distributed nationwide in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, may contain microbial contamination, identified as fungi, in the cotton swab components.
Swabs containing fungi can potentially present "significant risk to the health and safety of consumers," including serious and life-threatening blood infections in consumers whose nasal cavity's mucous membrane lining may be compromised due to inflammation and mechanical injuries, according to the FDA recall notice.
The health risks of using the recalled products are highest, and potentially severe or life-threatening, among children and people with compromised immune systems or other underlying medical conditions, according to the notice.
According to Church & Dwight, the recalled products include:
