Toothbrushes are home to hundreds of viruses, study shows

Northwestern University's study, published in Frontiers in Microbiomes, revealed that viruses don’t target people; they target bacteria.

The microorganisms collected in the study are bacteriophage, or ‘phage’, a type of virus that infects and replicates inside of bacteria.

Although researchers know little about them, phage have garnered attention for their potential use in treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The previously unknown viruses found in bathrooms could become useful for exploring those applications.

Erica M. Hartmann, study lead and indoor microbiologist, said, “The number of viruses that we found is absolutely wild. We found many viruses that we know very little about and many others that we have never seen before. It’s amazing how much untapped biodiversity is all around us.”