What is a primary reason for selecting 20-25°C as an incubation temperature?

Selecting 20-25°C as an incubation temperature is primarily advantageous because it helps to avoid cultivating microbes that thrive at human body temperature, which is around 37°C. Many pathogens and opportunistic organisms are adapted to grow optimally at this higher temperature, potentially skewing results and leading to the isolation of clinically relevant organisms. By maintaining a lower incubation temperature, the focus shifts to isolating environmental microbes that may not pose a direct threat to human health, allowing for a safer laboratory environment and preventing contamination from potentially harmful pathogens.

This temperature range tends to support the growth of a different set of microorganisms that are better adapted to cooler climates, which can be particularly useful in various microbiological studies. The choice of temperature helps researchers analyze diverse microbial populations and understand their ecological roles without introducing health risks associated with warmer temperatures that favor pathogenic bacteria.