Vicks nasal spray recalled after bacteria found

2009-11-20 The Procter & Gamble Co. has recalled some 120,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex nasal spray after the company found bacteria in samples during routine testing.

The product has been recalled voluntarily after small amounts of the B. cepacia bacteria was found at the German plant where it's made. No illnesses have been reported yet, but the bacteria could harm people with chronic lung problems or weakened immune systems.

Three lots of the spray sent to stores in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom are being recalled.

The bacteria were found in a small amount of the U.S. lot after it shipped, and the company is testing samples from the U.K. and German lots produced from the same raw material mixture in Gross Gerau, Germany.

P&G says consumers should not use the medication.

The U.S. Centers for Disease control says on its Web site that the bacteria pose "little medical risk to healthy people."

Lot numbers are on both outer cartons and the bottles inside. The numbers of the affected lots are:

In the U.S.: 9239028831
In the U.K.: 9224028832
In Germany: 9224028833