A microbiology lab exercise caused 32 people to start antibiotics after misidentifying a harmless bacterium as a deadly pathogen.
WHO:Students, professors, and lab workers in a college microbiology lab class; Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
WHAT:Participants in a microbiology lab class misidentified a mystery bacterium as Neisseria meningitidis and 32 started an antibiotic regimen; two underwent lumbar punctures after mild symptoms.
WHEN:Jul 28, 2026 at 5:49 PM ET
WHERE:Location not specified
WHY:They believed they were exposed to a deadly pathogen after identifying the mystery bacteria as Neisseria meningitidis during a lab exercise.
Reporting from 1 identified publisher for this event.
