A college lab class in biology experienced a scare when 33 people were exposed to a potentially deadly germ. A stockroom freezer error led to a vial labeled N. meningitidis being mixed with the P. shigelloides bacteria used in the class. State public health officials were called in, recommending 10-day prophylactic antibiotics for all exposed individuals. Of the 33, all but one began the treatment.

Further testing by the state lab identified the bacterium as N. sicca, a nonpathogenic relative of N. meningitidis. This atypical isolate had mimicked N. meningitidis in student tests and likely led to the mislabeling of the vial. Although everyone was ultimately safe, the incident highlighted significant lapses in inventory control, supervision, and documentation of biological materials at the university.

The investigation revealed inadequate practices for identifying, labeling, storing, and segregating biological materials. Gaps in employee supervision, PPE use, and sample tracking were also noted. In response, the university has overhauled its procedures and protocols to prevent future incidents.