Your toothbrush contains hundreds of different viruses – and that's actually a good thing! This is because it's about a particular type of virus, so-called phages, which have the task of neutralising bacteria. Phages are bacteria's natural enemy and many virologists believe they could be a future solution to antibiotic resistance, which is caused by
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been identified as one of the biggest threats to public health. In the study, researchers examined 34 toothbrushes and found 614 different viruses on the samples, 22 of which were specifically phages. Many viruses were previously unknown and could potentially be used against bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Researchers suggest that phages are an untapped biological resource that could be designed into new medicines, even for certain diseases.
Source: Frontiers in Microbiomes