From the Journals

Are Toothbrushes More Viral Than Showerheads?

Study finds your toothbrush hosts primarily human-associated bacteria including Klebsiella, Streptococcus, and Veillonella, while showerheads harbor environmental microbes.

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6 Key Takeaways

  • 1

    Adopted a novel approach to analyze viral populations in household bathroom biofilms comparing showerheads and toothbrushes.

  • 2

    Identified distinctive viral communities in each environment with no overlap between the most abundant viruses.

  • 3

    Correlations between bacterial and viral communities in both environments were reported.

  • 4

    Relevance of the findings highlighted in the context of substantial time spent in residences.

  • 5

    No evidence of the identified viruses carrying antibiotic resistance genes or virulence factors.

  • 6

    Significant geographic variations in sample collection.

Original Source(s)

Are Toothbrushes More Viral Than Showerheads?

Study finds your toothbrush hosts primarily human-associated bacteria including Klebsiella, Streptococcus, and Veillonella, while showerheads harbor environmental microbes.

  • by Kerri Miller

  • November 1, 2024

  • 2 min