UPDATE 1-Cardinal Health recalls mouthwash from hospitals

LOS ANGELES, May 5 (Reuters) - Cardinal Health Inc (CAH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it is recalling 60,000 bottles of alcohol-free mouthwash from nearly 1,000 U.S. hospitals that was tested and found positive for a bacteria called Burkholderia cepacia.

Cardinal said the bacteria poses little medical risk to healthy people, but people with certain health problems like weakened immune systems or chronic lung disease may be more susceptible to an infection.

Cardinal said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the mouthwash was associated with hospital illnesses in one state. The state was not identified.

Eight patients became ill, and six of them developed pneumonia, said company spokesman Troy Kirkpatrick.

The drug wholesaler said the mouthwash, which is not sold in retail stores, is made by Hydrox Inc and labeled with the Cardinal Health brand name.

Kirkpatrick said the recall involved 1,000 cases of mouthwash, each containing 60 bottles. The product was distributed to 900 hospitals, medical centers and long-term care facilities.

He said sales of the mouthwash account for about $1 million of Cardinal's total annual revenue of more than $90 billion. (Reporting by Deena Beasley; Editing by Andre Grenon/Jeffrey Benkoe)