Kimberly-Clark is recalling specific lots of Kotex Natural Balance Security Unscented Tampons Regular Absorbency. The tampons were manufactured with a raw material contaminated with a bacterium, Enterobacter skazakil, which may cause health risks including vaginal infections, urinary tract infections (UTIs), pelvic inflammatory disease, or infections that can be life-threatening. Women with serious existing illnesses, cancer, or immune-compromised conditions such as HIV, are at increased risk of infection from the bacterium.

The products involved in the recall include both 18-count and 36-count packages of Kotex Natural Balance Security Unscented Tampons Regular Absorbency that were shipped to specific stores between October 29, 2011 and November 2, 2011. The stores that received the tainted products include Walmart stores in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas; Fry’s stores in Arizona; and specific Smith’s stores in Utah and Arizona. Not all stores in these areas received the contaminated products.

The affected products include both the 18-count and the 36-count cartons with the numbers 15063 or 15068 as the last five digits of the product’s bar code, and one of the following lot numbers: AC129321X, AC129325X, AC129421X, AC129425X, AC129521X, AC129525X, AC129621X, AC129625X, AC129721X, AC129725X, AC129821X, AC129825X; AC129921X, AC129925X. Both the bar code and lot numbers can be found on the bottom of the box.

Consumers should contact their doctors immediately if they have used the recalled products and experienced unusual vaginal discharge, rash, fever, headache, vomiting or abdominal pains, particularly if they are HIV positive, have AIDS, cancer, an existing serious illness or may be pregnant.

Consumers who have the recalled tampons in their possession should stop using them immediately and contact Kimberly-Clark’s Consumer Services Division at 1-800-335-6839 so arrangements can be made to retrieve the unused products.

Source: Kimberly-Clark