Table of contents
- Latest Walmart Better Homes and Gardens Aromatherapy Spray Lawsuit Updates
- December 16, 2022: CDC Reports First Animal Case
- November 3, 2021: CDC Updates Alert and CPSC Adds Five Scents
- November 2, 2021: CPSC Posts Recall 22-007
- October 26, 2021: CDC Confirms the Genetic Match
- October 22, 2021: Walmart and the CPSC Recall the Spray
- What Is Melioidosis?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Recall and Regulatory Background
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I Throw Away the Recalled Aromatherapy Spray?
- How Do I Clean up After Using the Recalled Spray?
- What Are the Product Numbers of the Recalled Sprays?
- Where Was the Recalled Aromatherapy Spray Made?
- Did Walmart Contact Customers About the Spray Recall?
The Better Homes and Gardens Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones, sold at Walmart, was linked to four melioidosis cases and two deaths. The 5-ounce glass bottle spray came in six scents.
Walmart sold the spray online and at about 55 stores from February 2021 through October 2021. Walmart and the CPSC recalled about 3,900 bottles in October 2021.
CDC found Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria in the spray and matched the strain to the four patients. No lawsuit, class action or MDL has been filed over the spray. Stop using any bottle you still have.
Latest Walmart Better Homes and Gardens Aromatherapy Spray Lawsuit Updates
December 16, 2022: CDC Reports First Animal Case
NBC News reported on December 16, 2022 that CDC had documented a pet raccoon with presumed melioidosis. The animal lived in the Texas patient’s home and died after exposure to the spray [1].
CDC called it the first reported presumed melioidosis case documented in a raccoon and the first animal case linked to this outbreak. The report is the latest CDC development in the outbreak.
November 3, 2021: CDC Updates Alert and CPSC Adds Five Scents
CDC updated its health alert for clinicians on November 3, 2021, according to a CNN report carried by ABC7 [2]. The CPSC added the five other scents to the Walmart recall, for six scents in total.
November 2, 2021: CPSC Posts Recall 22-007
The CPSC announced recall 22-007 on November 2, 2021. It covers about 3,900 bottles of the spray [3]. The notice says two bottles held a rare and dangerous bacteria.
The notice links the bacteria identified in this outbreak to two deaths. The remedy is a full refund and a $20 Walmart gift card.
October 26, 2021: CDC Confirms the Genetic Match
CDC confirmed on October 26, 2021 that the bacteria in the spray genetically match the strains in four patients. The patients lived in Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota and Texas. CDC testing of an additional bottle also tested positive [4].
October 22, 2021: Walmart and the CPSC Recall the Spray
The CPSC issued the first recall on October 22, 2021, according to the Walmart statement. About 3,900 bottles of the aromatherapy spray were recalled after CDC found the bacteria in the Lavender & Chamomile scent [5].
What Is Melioidosis?
According to CDC, melioidosis is a bacterial infection in people and animals. It is caused by bacteria called Burkholderia pseudomallei. It spreads through direct contact with soil, water or air contaminated by the bacteria [6].
Who May Be Affected?
People who bought the spray in any of the six scents from Walmart may be affected. It sold online and at about 55 Walmart stores between February and October 21, 2021.
CDC asks clinicians to ask patients about exposure. That includes being in the room while the product was sprayed, sniffing the bottle, or touching linens or pillowcases it was sprayed on.
CDC and Poison Control advise anyone exposed within the past 21 days who develops fever, cough or skin lesions to seek medical care [7].
If you were exposed in the past 7 days and have no symptoms, call a doctor, who may advise antibiotics. Whether you can bring a claim depends on your own facts and needs an individual legal review.
Reported Injuries or Damages
CDC investigated four melioidosis cases. They were a 5-year-old boy in Georgia, a 53-year-old woman in Kansas, a 53-year-old man in Minnesota and a 4-year-old girl in Texas. The Georgia and Kansas patients died.
Regulators and the press reported these cases. They are not court allegations. Three of the four patients had underlying medical conditions, including COPD, cirrhosis and COVID-19 infection.
CDC lists symptoms as fever, headache, trouble breathing, stomach or chest pain, muscle pain, confusion and seizure. CDC said the genetic match allows it to confirm the spray or one of its ingredients caused the four infections.
The December 2022 CDC report says the Texas patient’s pet raccoon broke a bottle of the spray in March 2021. It showed acute neurologic symptoms about two weeks later and died three days after that.
Two of twelve tissue samples from the raccoon tested positive, and environmental samples tested negative, according to the CDC report.
Recall and Regulatory Background
The recall covers six scents of the spray: Lavender & Chamomile, Lemon and Mandarin, Lavender, Peppermint, Lime & Eucalyptus, and Sandalwood and Vanilla. Walmart takes recall calls at 800-925-6278.
Do not open the bottle. Double bag it in clear zip-top bags in a small cardboard box and return it to a Walmart store.
Evidence to Preserve
Keep these items if you or a family member became ill after using the spray:
- Photographs of the bottle, its label, the scent name and the product number before you return it.
- Your receipt, Walmart order confirmation or loyalty record showing when and where you bought the spray.
- The refund and gift card record, plus any messages with Walmart about the recall.
- Medical records and test results, including any melioidosis diagnosis made by your doctor.
- Notes on the dates you were exposed and the dates your symptoms began.
Filing Deadlines
Deadlines come from state law. They depend on where you live and on when you were exposed, became ill and were diagnosed.
Some states start the clock at diagnosis. Even a claim with strong facts can end if the filing window closes first. If you think the spray harmed you or a family member, speak with a lawyer promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Throw Away the Recalled Aromatherapy Spray?
No, you should not throw away the recalled aromatherapy spray or pour it down the drain. CDC says the bacteria could become established in landfills. Return the bottle to Walmart as the recall directs.
How Do I Clean up After Using the Recalled Spray?
To clean up after using the recalled spray, wash sheets or linens it may have touched. Use normal laundry detergent and dry them completely in a hot dryer. Wipe counters and surfaces with an undiluted disinfectant cleaner, minimize handling and wash your hands.
What Are the Product Numbers of the Recalled Sprays?
The product numbers of the recalled sprays are 84140411420 for Lavender & Chamomile, 84140411421 Lemon and Mandarin, 84140411422 Lavender, 84140411423 Peppermint, 84140411424 Lime & Eucalyptus and 84140411425 Sandalwood and Vanilla. Each is a 5-ounce glass bottle with a pump nozzle.
Where Was the Recalled Aromatherapy Spray Made?
The recalled aromatherapy spray was made in India, according to the CPSC notice. Walmart sold the spray in a pilot program, according to NBC News and the corporate Walmart statement about the recall.
Did Walmart Contact Customers About the Spray Recall?
Walmart contacted customers about the spray recall by email. It emailed more than 2,000 customers who bought the spray at about 55 stores in 18 states, according to the Walmart statement.