






























See Also
See Again
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Burkholderia mallei infection in the US (1903)
- A laboratory worker contracted glanders from Burkholderia mallei during an autopsy on an inoculated guinea pig. Despite an open wound on her finger, she survived.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
B virus exposure in the US (1932)
- Physician William Brebner died after being bitten by a rhesus monkey, leading to the identification of the B virus in his memory.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Scrub typhus incident in Australia (1943)
- Australian bacteriologist Dora Lush tragically pricked her finger with a needle containing scrub typhus while working on a vaccine, ultimately succumbing to the infection.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
FMD outbreaks in Europe (1960-1993)
- Foot-and-mouth disease virus escaped European labs 13 times, causing outbreaks and showcasing biosafety vulnerabilities in vaccine production.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Smallpox outbreak in the UK (1966)
- The 1966 smallpox outbreak in the UK started with Tony McLennan, a photographer at Birmingham Medical School, which housed a smallpox lab. Twelve years later, a fatal outbreak began similarly.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Marburg virus outbreak in Germany (1967)
- This virus outbreak in West Germany affected 31 people, including lab workers exposed to African green monkeys. Seven died from Marburg hemorrhagic fever, marking one of the first known outbreaks.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Aral smallpox incident in the Soviet Union (1971)
- A field test at a Soviet bioweapons facility caused a smallpox outbreak, infecting 10 and killing three. It was publicly revealed only decades later.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
London smallpox case (1972)
- A 23-year-old lab assistant at the London School of Hygiene contracted smallpox while observing virus harvesting. She infected two visitors, both of whom died, and a nurse, who survived.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Virus exposures in Nigeria (1963-1977)
- Between 1963 and 1977, the Virus Research Laboratory in Ibadan, Nigeria, saw infections with Chikungunya, Dugbe, Wesselsbron, Dengue, and
Rift valley virus, with some staff members developing antibodies without symptoms.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Ebola needle in the UK (1976)
- A lab worker accidentally pricked themselves with an Ebola-contaminated needle, resulting in an infection.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Russian flu in the Soviet Union and China (1977-1979)
- In 1977, the H1N1 influenza virus reappeared in the Soviet Union and China. Some virologists speculated it escaped from a lab, while others believed it resulted from vaccine challenge trials.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Smallpox death in the UK (1978)
- The 1978 smallpox outbreak in the UK was caused by accidental exposure to a strain grown at the University of Birmingham. Janet Parker, infected, became the last person to die from smallpox in the UK.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Sverdlovsk anthrax leak in the Soviet Union
- In 1979, anthrax spores were accidentally released from a Soviet military facility near Sverdlovsk, causing around 100 deaths. The incident, sometimes called "biological Chernobyl," was linked to lab contamination.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Marburg virus death in the Soviet Union (1988)
- In 1988, researcher Nikolai Ustinov was fatally infected with the Marburg virus after accidentally pricking himself with a syringe used for guinea pig inoculation.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Kol'tsovo Marburg case in the Soviet Union (1990)
- Another Marburg virus outbreak in Kol'tsovo resulted in the death of a laboratory worker.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Anthrax letters in the US (2001)
- In September 2001, anthrax-laced letters sent to media offices and senators killed five and infected 17. In 2008, Bruce Ivins was identified as the sole culprit based on DNA evidence.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
SARS lab infection in Singapore (2003)
- A doctoral student at Singapore General Hospital contracted SARS during unsafe practices in a lab undergoing renovations.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Ebola needle in Russia (2004)
- A researcher at Russia's VECTOR biological weapons facility died after accidentally pricking herself with a needle contaminated with the Ebola virus.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
H2N2 influenza testing error (2005)
- The 1957 H2N2 influenza strain, included in testing kits sent to over 5,000 labs across 18 countries, was deemed a major risk by Klaus Stohr, WHO influenza chief, due to its poor selection and exposure.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
FMD outbreak in the UK (2007)
- The 2007 UK foot-and-mouth disease outbreak occurred when a virus leaked from the Pirbright Institute, spreading to nearby farms and resulting in over 2,000 animals being culled to contain infections.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Ebola exposure in Germany (2009)
- A German researcher was accidentally exposed to Ebola in a high-security lab. Luckily, they survived the incident.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Cowpox case in the US (2010)
- Cross contamination caused the first US lab acquired cowpox infection in a worker studying non-orthopoxvirus, highlighting a rare case of lab related transmission.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Anthrax shipment in the UK (2012)
- The UK Animal and Plant Health Agency mistakenly sent out live anthrax samples. Its Surrey lab faced a Crown Prohibition Notice, closing it until safety improvements were implemented.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
H5N1 exposure in the US (2013)
- A Milwaukee researcher accidentally punctured a gloved hand with an H5N1-loaded needle, one of four reportable dermal puncture incidents at the Center for Infectious Disease Research.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Smallpox vials found in the US (2014)
- Six vials of viable smallpox from the 1950s were discovered in a Food and Drug Administration-managed room on the campus of the National Institutes of Health, raising biosafety concerns.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Zika virus infection in the US (2016)
- A researcher was accidentally infected with the Zika virus during a lab experiment at the University of Pittsburgh.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Brucella outbreak in China (2019)
- An accident at Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute infected 65 workers with brucellosis. By November 2020, over 10,000 residents were infected due to bacteria-laden aerosols from improperly sterilized biopharmaceutical waste.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
SARS-CoV-2 lab leak in Taiwan (2021)
- In November 2021, a lab worker in Taipei contracted COVID-19, with the virus sequence matching a Delta variant from the lab. This raised suspicions of the first COVID-19 lab leak. No contacts tested positive.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Polio detected in the Netherlands (2022)
- In November 2022, routine wastewater surveillance at a vaccine facility in Utrecht, Netherlands, detected wild poliovirus type 3. An employee was infected, but the source remains unclear despite safety measures.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Missing virus vials in Australia (2023)
- In 2023, 323 virus vials, including Hendra and Lyssavirus, went missing from Queensland, Australia. Authorities launched an investigation, ensuring no community risk, and aimed to strengthen biosecurity measures. Sources: (Fox News) (News-Medical) (World Health Organization)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Burkholderia mallei infection in the US (1903)
- A laboratory worker contracted glanders from Burkholderia mallei during an autopsy on an inoculated guinea pig. Despite an open wound on her finger, she survived.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
B virus exposure in the US (1932)
- Physician William Brebner died after being bitten by a rhesus monkey, leading to the identification of the B virus in his memory.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Scrub typhus incident in Australia (1943)
- Australian bacteriologist Dora Lush tragically pricked her finger with a needle containing scrub typhus while working on a vaccine, ultimately succumbing to the infection.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
FMD outbreaks in Europe (1960-1993)
- Foot-and-mouth disease virus escaped European labs 13 times, causing outbreaks and showcasing biosafety vulnerabilities in vaccine production.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Smallpox outbreak in the UK (1966)
- The 1966 smallpox outbreak in the UK started with Tony McLennan, a photographer at Birmingham Medical School, which housed a smallpox lab. Twelve years later, a fatal outbreak began similarly.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Marburg virus outbreak in Germany (1967)
- This virus outbreak in West Germany affected 31 people, including lab workers exposed to African green monkeys. Seven died from Marburg hemorrhagic fever, marking one of the first known outbreaks.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Aral smallpox incident in the Soviet Union (1971)
- A field test at a Soviet bioweapons facility caused a smallpox outbreak, infecting 10 and killing three. It was publicly revealed only decades later.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
London smallpox case (1972)
- A 23-year-old lab assistant at the London School of Hygiene contracted smallpox while observing virus harvesting. She infected two visitors, both of whom died, and a nurse, who survived.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Virus exposures in Nigeria (1963-1977)
- Between 1963 and 1977, the Virus Research Laboratory in Ibadan, Nigeria, saw infections with Chikungunya, Dugbe, Wesselsbron, Dengue, and
Rift valley virus, with some staff members developing antibodies without symptoms.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Ebola needle in the UK (1976)
- A lab worker accidentally pricked themselves with an Ebola-contaminated needle, resulting in an infection.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Russian flu in the Soviet Union and China (1977-1979)
- In 1977, the H1N1 influenza virus reappeared in the Soviet Union and China. Some virologists speculated it escaped from a lab, while others believed it resulted from vaccine challenge trials.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Smallpox death in the UK (1978)
- The 1978 smallpox outbreak in the UK was caused by accidental exposure to a strain grown at the University of Birmingham. Janet Parker, infected, became the last person to die from smallpox in the UK.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Sverdlovsk anthrax leak in the Soviet Union
- In 1979, anthrax spores were accidentally released from a Soviet military facility near Sverdlovsk, causing around 100 deaths. The incident, sometimes called "biological Chernobyl," was linked to lab contamination.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Marburg virus death in the Soviet Union (1988)
- In 1988, researcher Nikolai Ustinov was fatally infected with the Marburg virus after accidentally pricking himself with a syringe used for guinea pig inoculation.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Kol'tsovo Marburg case in the Soviet Union (1990)
- Another Marburg virus outbreak in Kol'tsovo resulted in the death of a laboratory worker.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Anthrax letters in the US (2001)
- In September 2001, anthrax-laced letters sent to media offices and senators killed five and infected 17. In 2008, Bruce Ivins was identified as the sole culprit based on DNA evidence.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
SARS lab infection in Singapore (2003)
- A doctoral student at Singapore General Hospital contracted SARS during unsafe practices in a lab undergoing renovations.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Ebola needle in Russia (2004)
- A researcher at Russia's VECTOR biological weapons facility died after accidentally pricking herself with a needle contaminated with the Ebola virus.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
H2N2 influenza testing error (2005)
- The 1957 H2N2 influenza strain, included in testing kits sent to over 5,000 labs across 18 countries, was deemed a major risk by Klaus Stohr, WHO influenza chief, due to its poor selection and exposure.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
FMD outbreak in the UK (2007)
- The 2007 UK foot-and-mouth disease outbreak occurred when a virus leaked from the Pirbright Institute, spreading to nearby farms and resulting in over 2,000 animals being culled to contain infections.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Ebola exposure in Germany (2009)
- A German researcher was accidentally exposed to Ebola in a high-security lab. Luckily, they survived the incident.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Cowpox case in the US (2010)
- Cross contamination caused the first US lab acquired cowpox infection in a worker studying non-orthopoxvirus, highlighting a rare case of lab related transmission.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Anthrax shipment in the UK (2012)
- The UK Animal and Plant Health Agency mistakenly sent out live anthrax samples. Its Surrey lab faced a Crown Prohibition Notice, closing it until safety improvements were implemented.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
H5N1 exposure in the US (2013)
- A Milwaukee researcher accidentally punctured a gloved hand with an H5N1-loaded needle, one of four reportable dermal puncture incidents at the Center for Infectious Disease Research.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Smallpox vials found in the US (2014)
- Six vials of viable smallpox from the 1950s were discovered in a Food and Drug Administration-managed room on the campus of the National Institutes of Health, raising biosafety concerns.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Zika virus infection in the US (2016)
- A researcher was accidentally infected with the Zika virus during a lab experiment at the University of Pittsburgh.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Brucella outbreak in China (2019)
- An accident at Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute infected 65 workers with brucellosis. By November 2020, over 10,000 residents were infected due to bacteria-laden aerosols from improperly sterilized biopharmaceutical waste.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
SARS-CoV-2 lab leak in Taiwan (2021)
- In November 2021, a lab worker in Taipei contracted COVID-19, with the virus sequence matching a Delta variant from the lab. This raised suspicions of the first COVID-19 lab leak. No contacts tested positive.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Polio detected in the Netherlands (2022)
- In November 2022, routine wastewater surveillance at a vaccine facility in Utrecht, Netherlands, detected wild poliovirus type 3. An employee was infected, but the source remains unclear despite safety measures.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Missing virus vials in Australia (2023)
- In 2023, 323 virus vials, including Hendra and Lyssavirus, went missing from Queensland, Australia. Authorities launched an investigation, ensuring no community risk, and aimed to strengthen biosecurity measures. Sources: (Fox News) (News-Medical) (World Health Organization)
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
CIA suspects lab leak plausible source of COVID outbreak
New analysis suggests virus more likely to have come from a lab than animals
© Getty Images
Biosecurity incidents have shaped the course of public health, research protocols, and global safety standards throughout history. From accidental releases of deadly pathogens to missing virus samples, these events highlight the critical importance of stringent laboratory practices and oversight. The origins of the COVID-19 pandemic have sparked significant debate in recent years, centered on whether the outbreak resulted from a natural animal source or a laboratory accident.
A fresh analysis of intelligence has led the CIA to state that the COVID-19 pandemic is "more likely" to have originated from a lab leak in China than through natural means. This reassessment began under the Biden administration at the request of former CIA director William Burns. Although the agency now leans towards a lab origin, it maintains "low confidence" in this conclusion, acknowledging the plausibility of both scenarios. The analysis does not rely on new evidence but revisits prior intelligence, examining the virus' spread, its scientific features, and the operational practices of China's virology labs. "CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible," the agency said in a statement.
The prevailing theory among many scientists is that the virus originated in animals and was transmitted to humans through an outbreak at a market in Wuhan, China. In contrast, supporters of the "lab leak theory" speculate that the virus may have emerged due to a mishap at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Whatever may be the case, only by examining past incidents can we better understand the challenges of safeguarding against biological threats in an increasingly interconnected world. Click on to discover big incidents that breached biosecurity.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU




































MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week