Scientists find 54,118 viruses in people's poo, but most won't infect you

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-06-25 01:00

Australia; International; QLD

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US and Aussie scientists have identified 54,118 species of virus that live in our guts by looking at genetic data from 11,810 stool samples, and say 92 per cent of these viruses were not previously known. More than 75 per cent of the viruses identified were a type called 'phages', which infect bacteria, not humans. The researchers have used their findings to build a database of viruses that are part of the human gut microbiome, which includes all the different lifeforms that call our guts home. They also found genetic evidence of the evolutionary 'arms race' between phages and their bacterial victims, as bacteria try to outwit their viral enemies.