Hundreds of viruses live on toothbrushes! And that’s good news – DW – 25/10/2024

by time news

2024-10-25 08:24:00

It’s not just people who love hot showers: viruses also feel comfortable in hot water. The results of an American study published last October in a specialized journal “Frontiers in microbiomes”show that different communities of infectious agents have formed on shower heads. And not only there. All the surfaces in our bathrooms are covered, figuratively speaking, with a biofilm teeming with all kinds of viruses. The numbers also impressed researchers: more than 600 species were discovered, and above all many were found on shower heads and toothbrush bristles.

“It’s amazing how many microorganisms we found,” said microbiologist Erica Hartman of Northwestern University in Illinois, who led the project. His team discovered both species that are little known about and completely new to science. “It’s incredible how much biodiversity there is to discover around us and we don’t have to go far: it’s right before our eyes,” the researcher underlined. This discovery could help, for example, in the search for new methods to combat multi-resistant microorganisms.

A toothbrush is a haven for bacteria and viruses

The researchers began their project out of pure curiosity. They wanted to know what microbes can be found in our homes. “When it comes to indoor spaces, it is very difficult for microorganisms to live on surfaces like tables and walls,” explains Hartman. Instead, they prefer environments with water, such as shower heads and toothbrushes in bathrooms. Since most people, both in the United States and Europe, spend about two-thirds of their lives inside their homes or apartments, knowing which microbes inhabit these spaces is very useful.

It has been found that the composition of a group of microorganisms can vary greatly depending on where they are found. There are many more of them on toothbrushes and they are more varied than on shower heads. On brushes you can mainly find bacteria that have migrated from the human mouth and on watering cans from the environment.

Scientists have also identified microorganisms that live in urban water supply systems and contain known pathogens that, in turn, can pose a threat to human health if they multiply uncontrollably. The diversity of microbes found was so great that no two communities identical in composition were found, either on shower heads or toothbrushes.

Why virus detection is good news

Bacteria are single-celled living organisms capable of independently carrying out all phases of their vital activity. Viruses, as a rule, cannot survive on their own and therefore use the cells of other people – humans, animals and even plants – to reproduce. However, not all viruses are pathogenic to humans, yet they can benefit science.

Three-dimensional model of a bacteriophage, a virus that destroys bacteriaThree-dimensional model of a bacteriophage, a virus that destroys bacteriaPhoto: Colourbox

The microorganisms that the researchers were able to identify include bacteriophages. These are viruses that naturally limit the proliferation of bacteria and are capable of selectively destroying pathogenic species without damaging normal microflora or cells. They are one of the most common groups of viruses on Earth and pose no danger to humans. Given the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, it is hoped that the identified bacteriophages will help open up new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections.

Additionally, these natural agents can be used to create cleaning products. “The more you attack bacteria with disinfectants, the more likely they are to develop resistance or be harder to kill,” explains Hartman. “We just have to embrace them. Germs are everywhere and the vast majority of them don’t make us sick.” “.

Do toilet bacteria settle on toothbrushes when flushed?

That aquatic environments are teeming with life is nothing new. It is logical that in damp bathrooms bacteria, fungi and viruses settle and thrive on all surfaces located there. Hartman’s group also studied this question before their latest study. In particular, the scientists discovered whether bacteria penetrate toothbrushes through the column of aerosols that form when you flush the toilet with the lid open. After examining 34 samples, the experts found that the brush microbiome was still dominated by various agents from the oral cavity and skin, and that fewer specific strains from the environment were present. Additionally, the results were equivalent regardless of whether the brush was in a cup on the edge of the sink or hidden behind a closed cabinet door.

Erica Hartman points out that germs living on your toothbrush shouldn’t bother you. And unless otherwise recommended by your dentist, you should not use antimicrobial toothpastes instead of regular ones, because while we get rid of germs, we are at the same time pushing survivors to adapt and develop resistance to antimicrobials.

A 2018 study examining the showerhead microbiome found that, particularly in the United States, regions where certain bacteria were found on showerheads saw an increase in the incidence of bacterial pneumonia. Fortunately, according to a recent study by Erica Hartman’s group, bacteriophages present in bathrooms tend to target these harmful microorganisms. “We can imagine using these bacteriophages to remove pathogens from water systems,” Hartman says. Furthermore, it is a matter of studying all the functions of the identified viruses and finding out where they can be used, believes the microbiologist.

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