Voluntary recall issued for nasal spray

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) - Vicks Sinex nasal spray sold in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom is being recalled by the Proctor & Gamble Company.

According to a company press release, the decision to take this precautionary step happened after bacteria B. cepacia was found in a small amount of product made at its plant in Gross Gerau, Germany.

The problem was detected during routine quality control at the plant, the release states.

There have been no reports of illness. However, the bacteria could cause serious infections for individuals with a compromised immune system, or those with chronic lung conditions, such as cystic fibrosis. B. cepacia poses little medical risk to healthy individuals.

Company officials said their analysis to date shows this problem is limited to a single batch of raw material mixture involving three lots of product that were sold only in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom.

B. cepacia was found in a small amount of product from U.S. lot 9239028831and P&G said it is conducting testing on the U.K. and German lots that have been produced from the same batch.

Consumers should simply discard the affected product as they would any over-the-counter medicine.

P&G is removing the product in question from store shelves and has informed regulatory authorities in the affected countries.

Anyone who has these specific lots of this product can call P&G for a replacement coupon or refund at the following numbers:

From the United States, please call: (877) 876-7881 (Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. US ET, Saturday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. US ET)

From the United Kingdom, please call: 0800.5555.15 (Hours of operation: 19 November, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time and will continue Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, Saturday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time)

From Germany, please call: 0800.111.6131 (Hours of operation: 19 November, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time and will continue Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, Saturday - Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. l ocal time)