Question

How do microorganisms survive at room temperature without nutrients? Ex: how do microbes survive on table tops in classrooms?

Answer 1

Bacteria can produce spores as a stage of their life cycle. Spores can survive without water and nutrients for protracted long periods of time. These spores are the dormant form of vegetative bacteria and are highly resistant to physical and chemical influences. Spores are produced inside vegetative cells. It occurs when conditions are unfavorable and environment changes occurs such as temperature, food scarcity, waste accumulation, pH change and dehydration. Viruses can also survive in a dormant situation until they infect a host. Basically, these organisms go through a suspended state, where they are not alive but in a biological condition, which start again life as nutrients and water are present.