why are plates incubated at 37 degrees?

Question

this is a biology question regarding the plates used to swab bacteria

Answer 1

37C is commonly used because it is a physiologically relevant temperature for studying human pathogens. Like the answer above says, it's the ideal growth temperature for some bacteria.

But, not all bacteria grow best at 37C. Some human pathogens hardly grow at all at 37C (Mycobacterium leprae for example).

However, if you are looking at bacteria that live in and on the human body, disease causing or not, 37C incubators will mimic the temperature that those bacteria normally grow at. Growth at cooler or warmer can not only potentially slow growth of the desired bacteria, but permit over growth of undesired bacteria.

Answer 2

Bacterial cultures are generally incubated at 37 degrees celsius as its the ideal condition for growth, survival, multiplication.
Bacteria thrive well under these temperature conditions and hence plates are incubated at this temperature....
please note that it is not for all bacterial species.... it varies from one organism to other..... generally its at 37 degree celsius.

Answer 3

It has nothing to do with the enriched media. Incubation temperature has everything to do with the microbe you're growing. E. coli and most other pathogens affecting humans (which are the most heavily studied microbes) tend to have evolved to grow best at the temperature of the human body, 37C. Other organisms, such as yeast, grow best at 32C (or even lower). Trying to grow a thermophylic archaea at 37C would kill it - they require temperatures often near boiling. Most moulds grow quite comfortable at 25C. So, it is important to remember the natural habitat of a microbe before deciding on a temperature at which to try and culture it.

Answer 4

if it's 37 degrees C, that's human body temperature.

37C = 98.6F

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Answer 5

because that is the optimal temperature for the bacteria to grow & stay alive...