# Can an evil virus thrive in a coffeepot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2006, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191 "2006-06-26T12:48:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/1 "2006-06-26T12:48:39Z")
If a terrorist wanted to put an evil virus/poison/etc… into a large 2-5 gallon communal coffeepot, is there something that would live in that environment long term? We have a considerably diverse community at our plant, with some graffiti that is pro-Middle Eastern, and some people are curious. Thanks, hh ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/2 "2006-06-26T13:02:03Z")
I’d say poison:yes, bacteria:no, virus:no idea. I believe viruses are more hardy than bacteria, but I don’t know specifically of a virus that one would ingest to get sick. Coffee should be way too hot for bacteria to live in. Anyway, getting a significant amount of a pathogen is really tough, while getting a significant amount of rat poison is a trip to Wal-Mart. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/3 "2006-06-26T13:18:25Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > If a terrorist wanted to put an evil virus/poison/etc… into a large 2-5 gallon communal coffeepot, is there something that would live in that environment long term? We have a considerably diverse community at our plant, with some graffiti that is pro-Middle Eastern, and some people are curious. Thanks, hh Wash/rinse out thoroughly after each use should do the trick. If you are really paranoid about the problem put a lock on it and take daily turns of cleaning the pot and making coffee, with the exception of ‘problem’ people. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/4 "2006-06-26T13:46:43Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > We have a considerably diverse community at our plant, with some graffiti that is pro-Middle Eastern Without getting into GD territory, WTF has that to do with anything? ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/5 "2006-06-26T13:59:08Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Without getting into GD territory, WTF has that to do with anything? Just a little background to the question, my friend. No offense or genocide planned. I don’t want to invade or do anything to their nuclear reactors or Hamas or anything/anybody. I don’t care if we stay in Iraq or leave. I like foreign students in our nation, and I believe that a polyglot nation is as good as one that isn’t. Relax.😉 hh ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/6 "2006-06-26T14:51:45Z")
A virus requires a host cell to replicate, unless you coffeepot is made from or contains animal tissue no virus will thrive in there. I’m also sceptical as to whether a virus could even survive intact in coffee. I would imagine that coffee is a pretty harsh environment, lots of different organic compounds, low pH, and high temperature sounds like a recipe for denaturing the virion protein coat and the RNA/DNA contained inside. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/7 "2006-06-26T14:53:42Z")
Perfect. THank you all for your fine answers. hh ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/8 "2006-06-26T15:42:57Z")
If you have middle-easterners working with you, then the only thing to worry about your coffee is the possible addition of cardamon. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/9 "2006-06-26T18:07:10Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > If you have middle-easterners working with you, then the only thing to worry about your coffee is the possible addition of cardamon. 😃 I actually rather like that combination, myself . . . ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/10 "2006-06-27T00:18:03Z")
Some bacteria are more resistant to high temperature than others. The first one that comes to mind is [Legionnaire’s Disease](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionnaires_disease), which originally infected people through the water system in a hotel. It can survive for about 5 hours in 131 deg F water and 30 minutes in 140 degrees. That might be a little on the wussy side for coffee, but I’ve certainly had coffee at that temp before. I don’t know if the acidity would kill it much faster or not, but there might be some other bacterium that could servive. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-an-evil-virus-thrive-in-a-coffeepot/362191/11 "2006-06-27T01:29:51Z")
I expect any number of organisms could survive in that environment. Significant human pathogens are another matter altogether. As long as there’s nothing they can metabolize like sugars or alcohols I wouldn’t worry about it.