Indoor microbiomes are the microbial communities that live on the surfaces and surfaces of your home. According to a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology,1 Certain aspects and environments in your family harbor different communities of bacteria.
Shower gels and toothbrushes in particular serve as permanent habitats for these microbes, creating glue-like communities – called “biofilms” – in which these microscopic organisms thrive.2 The microorganisms found on these surfaces play a critical role in shaping the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in your home, and can have direct implications for your health and well-being.
Interactions between bacteriophages and bacteria in your household items can inhibit pathogens and promote a healthy living environment. Moreover, these findings challenge the common view of bacterial microbes as the only harmful invaders, highlighting their life-saving benefits.
How indoor microbiomes shape our health.
Indoor environments play a major role in influencing human health through complex microbial communities. Studies consistently show that your home, workplace, and public spaces are infested with bacteria and viruses that affect your well-being.3 However, most studies have focused primarily on bacterial populations, often looking at their co-existing viral counterparts.
Bacteriophages, or phages, are the natural enemy of bacteria; They are tiny, three-dimensional viruses that specifically attack bacteria. These stages function by hunting down, attacking, and incubating bacterial species, making them essential for controlling pathogens.4
Phases contribute to microbial composition by controlling which microbes grow and which die.5 The dynamics between phages and their bacterial hosts show how microbial communities maintain their balance and resist harmful bacterial overgrowth, and increasing our knowledge of phage interactions in family biofilms will allow for new and innovative approaches to health and hygiene.
Scientists study these viral communities to identify beneficial microbes and suppress pathogens, ultimately improving the cleanliness and safety of our everyday environments.6 This research fills a critical gap by providing insights that can transform how we manage indoor microbial ecosystems for better health outcomes.
Uncovering hidden pests in your bathroom
The researchers used metagenomic sequencing, a powerful technique that isolates genetic material from environmental samples, to explore their hypothesis. By analyzing 34 toothbrush and 92 bath samples, they aimed to identify and characterize the current virus populations.
The results were amazing – a huge variety of novel phages emerged, many of which had never been recorded before. The researchers identified a total of 616 high-quality viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) in biofilms from showerhead and toothbrush samples. These VOTs represent different groups of bacterial phages, each of which interacts with specific bacterial hosts.
The abundance of unique viral sequences highlights the complexity and richness of viral communities in everyday household items. Erica M. Hartman, a home microbiologist and lead author of the study, said:7
“The number of viruses we’ve found is absolutely wild. We have found many viruses that we are familiar with and others that we have never seen before. It’s amazing how much untouched biodiversity is around us. And you don’t even have to go far to find it; It’s right under our noses.”
These initial findings not only highlight the complexity of indoor microbiomes, but also set the stage for deeper investigations into how these levels affect bacteria.
Toothbrushes and toothbrushes have different levels
The presented research is derived from previous studies.8 In the year In a 2021 study published in the journal Microbiome, led by Hartman and colleagues from the University of Colorado, dubbed “Operation Pottymouth,” the researchers identified how flushing the toilet can spread bacteria to toothbrushes and bath towels.
“This project started out of curiosity. We wanted to know what microbes live in our homes. If you think about indoor environments, surfaces like tables and walls are very difficult for microbes to live in. Microbes prefer an environment with water. And where is water? In the shower head and on our toothbrushes.9
In the latest study, Hartman and her team found that viral communities in showerheads and toothbrushes were distinct from each other. No single VOTU was detected in all samples and the most abundant phages differed between the two households.10 This diversity reflects the unique environments each item provides.
Shower heads that come into direct contact with people, such as water sources, harbor phages associated with environmental bacteria.11 In contrast, toothbrushes, regularly exposed to the human oral microbiome, harbor phages associated with oral bacteria such as Streptococcus and Veylonella.12 These steps are involved in maintaining a balanced microbiome that prevents pathogens from multiplying.
This means that even within the same family, different items develop unique viral ecosystems. The lack of common motifs between showerheads and toothbrushes highlights the role of specific environmental factors and microbes in shaping viral communities.
Another significant finding of the study was the positive correlation between viral richness and bacterial richness in household biofilms. This means that areas with a greater diversity of bacterial species will also have a greater diversity of bacterial phages.13
Interestingly, although viral richness correlates with bacterial richness, the distribution of phage abundance within these species does not follow the same pattern. In essence, the presence of a large variety of bacteria leads to a large variety of phages, but does not necessarily mean that the phages are distributed among all bacterial hosts.
These findings highlight the uniqueness of each bacterial habitat in your home due to how it is used and the factors that cause exposure to different sources of bacteria.
“There is tremendous microbial diversity. For every bacterium, tens or hundreds or even thousands of viruses can attack.” Hartman said.14
Novel levels found in family microbiomes
Another significant finding of this study was the identification of several novel phages, which may contain unique functions and interactions not yet understood. The discovery of these novel compounds shows that the home microbiome is more complex and diverse than previously thought.
The third surprising finding is the presence of mycobacteriophages in the shower samples.15 These viruses specifically target Mycobacterium species, some of which are pathogenic to humans, suggesting a natural way to control harmful bacteria in these environments.
This means that phages can act as biological agents that control and reduce pathogens, improve household hygiene, and reduce the risk of infection.
The researchers found no evidence of harmful antibiotic resistance or virulence genes in the isolated phages.16 This finding is reassuring, because it means that these domestic phages do not transmit harmful properties to bacteria. They only control the number of bacteria without presenting additional threats.
These phages can be used for future biotechnological applications such as phage therapy, targeting and eliminating certain harmful bacteria without the risk of antibiotic resistance.
“Maybe there’s an interest in designing sophisticated drugs, so instead of taking a broad-spectrum antibiotic and wiping out your entire microbiome, you can take a drug that only affects pathogens and leaves the rest of your microbiome alone.” “ Hartman said.17
What impact do these discoveries have on today’s society?
The presence of life-saving bacteriophages in everyday household items such as toiletries and toothbrushes can have a major impact on public health. By naturally controlling bacterial populations, these phages reduce the spread of harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of infection and disease in your home.
Another benefit is the development of new hygiene strategies that increase phages. It helps to identify methods to avoid chemical pesticides that destroy beneficial microorganisms, e.g.18
Understanding the complex relationship between phages and bacteria can help develop environments that support beneficial microbial communities. For example, materials and surfaces that encourage the growth of health-promoting phages can be integrated into home designs, providing natural defenses against harmful pathogens without chemical solutions.19
The biotechnology sector also uses these discoveries, paving the way for phage-based treatments and products such as targeted cleaning and sanitizing agents as well as medical treatments.20,21 Importantly, phage-based solutions can be implemented in healthcare facilities to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections and reduce antibiotic use.22,23
How to use the life-saving microbiomes in your home
The discovery of life-saving microbes in everyday household items such as toothbrushes and toothbrushes shows a dramatic change in our understanding of indoor environments. This study demonstrates the complex and critical role that bacteriophages play in maintaining healthy microbial ecosystems in our homes.
By incorporating microbiome-friendly practices into your daily cleaning routine, you’ll help beneficial microbes thrive. Simple changes such as using natural, non-toxic cleaning products and thoroughly drying your shower and toothbrush can help maintain a healthy balance of phages and bacteria.24
Using indoor air and water filters can seriously damage the indoor microbiome. Installing a high-quality water filter will limit environmental bacteria in sinks, allowing for effective control of beneficial bacteria populations.25 Likewise, air purifiers with microbiome filters reduce airborne bacteria, promoting a stable indoor microbiome.26
“Microbes are always everywhere… without microbes we wouldn’t be able to digest our food or fight off infection. Hartman said.
“As much as we might initially react with a small EQ factor, I think it’s important to approach the microbial world with a sense of wonder and curiosity. Biotechnology”27
