From the Web MD site
today:

Infection Worry Spurs Teether
Recall

Liquid Inside Baby Teethers Has
Potential for Bacterial Contamination
By
Brunilda Nazario, MD
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
on Tuesday,
January 31, 2006

Jan. 31, 2006 — The FDA
and The First Years, a subsidiary of RC2 Corporation, have announced a voluntary
recall of liquid-filled infant teethers due to a possible bacterial
contamination of the liquid inside.

The
fluid inside the teethers may be contaminated with bacteria known as Pseudomonas
aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida. If the teether is punctured — and the
potentially contaminated liquid is ingested — it can cause serious illness in
children.

No illnesses have been reported
so far. However, the bacteria have been known to cause serious respiratory,
urinary, and blood infections.

A company
news release says consumers should stop using the recalled products
immediately.

The recall applies to six
different styles of liquid-filled teethers for infants (at least 3 months old)
and includes the following products:


* Disney Days of Hunny Soft Cool Ring Teether — Style#
Y1447
* Disney Soft Cool Ring Teether —
Style# Y1470
* Disney Soft Cool Ring
Teether — Style# Y1490
* The First Years
Cool Animal Teether/Fish, Zebra, and Dinosaur designs — Style#
Y1473
* The First Years Floating Friends
Teether — Style# Y1474
* Sesame Beginnings
Chill & Chew Teether — Style#
Y3095

All six teethers have the same
general construction with a vinyl exterior and clear liquid prefilled inside.
Some of the teethers have designs on the exterior while others have floating
characters inside the liquid-filled
teether.

The teethers have been sold
nationwide from July 2005 to January 2006 for $2.99 to
$3.99.

The First Years says consumers
should put the teether in its current condition into a sealed plastic storage
bag, place in an envelope, and return to: Parent Service Center, RC2/The First
Years, 100 Technology Center Drive, Stoughton, MA 02072. Consumers should
include their mailing address in the envelope to receive a replacement teether
and gift.

For additional information and
photos of the teethers, visit www.thefirstyears.comwww.thefirstyears.com. Or
call The First Years Parent Service Center at (866)
725-4407.

The company’s news release says adverse reactions experienced
with the use of the product should also be reported to the FDA MedWatch Program
by phone at (800) FDA-1088, by fax at (800) FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, HF-2,
FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch web site at
www.fda.gov/medwatch.