Not only are rainforests a hotspot for biodiversity, but so is your own toothbrush. The number of certain microbes on it amazes researchers.
Not only are there countless bacteria on toothbrushes and in the bathroom in general: there is also an immense variety of viruses, as a research team reports in the specialist journal “Frontiers in Microbiomes”. Samples from shower heads and toothbrushes in the USA contained more than 600 different viruses.
“The number of viruses we found is absolutely crazy,” said study leader Erica Hartmann of Northwestern University in Evanston. “We found many viruses that we know very little about and many others that we have never seen before.” There was also very little overlap between two samples. “Every shower head and every toothbrush is like its own little island.”
The good news is: The viruses are not dangerous for people, but attack bacteria and multiply in them. Such so-called bacteriophages have recently been increasingly researched for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
The researchers assume that newly discovered virus species could be a treasure trove for this. Many phages were found in the samples that specifically infect mycobacteria – causes of diseases such as leprosy, tuberculosis and lung infections. “It’s amazing how much unused biodiversity there is around us,” said Hartmann. “And you don’t even have to go far to find it, it’s right under our noses.”
For the study, the researchers asked people to send them used toothbrushes and swabs from their shower heads. Previous analyzes had already shown a large diversity of bacteria in the samples. For the virus analysis, 34 samples from brushes and 92 from shower heads were analyzed.
“This project started out of curiosity,” Hartmann explained. “We wanted to know what microbes live in our homes.” Surfaces such as tables and walls are difficult for microbes to colonize because they prefer environments with water. “And where is there water? In our shower heads and on our toothbrushes.”
The research team also emphasized that the diversity of microbes in the bathroom is by no means a reason to use antimicrobial cleaning products. It is enough to change your toothbrush regularly. Special antimicrobial toothbrushes are also not necessary, especially since they could lead to antibiotic-resistant germs. For the shower head, cleaning with soap and, if necessary, descaler is sufficient.
“Microbes are everywhere, and the vast majority of them don’t make us sick,” Hartmann explained. “The more you fight them with disinfectants, the more likely they are to develop resistance or become more difficult to treat.”