Final answer:
Bacteria with the ability to form spores can survive harsh conditions with their protective endospores. These endospores can be destroyed by a sporicidal product or incineration, which applies extreme heat to ensure complete destruction, unlike methods such as boiling.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bacteria that form spores, such as those from the genera Bacillus and Clostridium, are extremely resilient and can survive under harsh conditions due to their protective endospores. These endospores can remain viable for decades and are resistant to many forms of microbial control, including freezing, boiling, and exposure to sunlight. However, they can be destroyed by using a product labeled as sporicidal or by incineration, which involves burning the bacteria at high temperatures to ensure complete destruction. Incineration is an effective sterilization method because it applies extreme heat, which is one of the few ways to ensure that endospores are completely killed.
Pathogenic bacteria like C. tetani, C. difficile, C. perfringens, and C. botulinum form endospores as a means of survival in adverse conditions. Their endospores are not easily eradicated by common sterilization methods such as boiling, which may kill vegetative cells and some viruses, but typically cannot destroy the tough endospores.