Recalled Alcohol Pad Lawsuit Filed Over Bacillus Cereus Infection

A Tennessee man has filed a $30 million Triad alcohol pad lawsuit, claiming that he contracted a Bacillus cereus infection from infected wipes. 

The Bacillus cereus infection lawsuit was filed on February 15th in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee by by Donovan Joseph Postich, 55, from Madisonville, Tennessee.

Postich had to have open heart surgery as a result of the infection, which the lawsuit claims was caused by recalled Triad alcohol products. Postich is permanently disabled as a result of the incident.

A Triad alcohol pad recall was issued in early January, after it was discovered prep pads, swabs and swabsticks could be contaminated with the bacteria Bacillus cereus. The Triad wipes were commonly used in hospitals and packaged with a number of medications. They were also sold under a variety of labels, including CVS, Walgreens and Cardinal Health.

Bacillus cereus is responsible for about two percent of all foodborne illness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Illness comes within 24 hours after exposure and can result in a diarrheal illness. Serious illness and permanent injury are very rare.

Postich’s lawsuit is at least the second lawsuit over injuries from recalled alcohol pads filed against H&P Industries, which does business as Triad. The complaint also names Genentech as a defendant, because it distributed the alcohol pads that were used on Postich.

Last week a Texas couple filed an alcohol swab wrongful death lawsuit against the company over the death of their two year old son, who allegedly died of a Bacillus cereus infection after having surgical sites wiped with Triad alcohol prep pads and swabs.

Last week, Triad also recalled 18 lots of sterile lubricating jelly due to sterility concerns.