--- title: "Scientists Took Swabs of Toothbrushes and Were Shocked by the Hundreds of Viruses They Found" description: "Scientists found more than 600 distinct viruses after swabbing toothbrushes and shower heads — but apparently, they're the good kind." date: "2024-10-11" modified: "2024-10-11" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/toothbrushes-hundreds-viruses" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" - "Medical" - "Pathogens" - "Viruses" tags: - "bacteria" - "phages" - "toothbrush" - "viruses" --- # Scientists Took Swabs of Toothbrushes and Were Shocked by the Hundreds of Viruses They Found ![Scientists found more than 600 distinct viruses after swabbing toothbrushes and shower heads — but apparently, they're the good kind.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* Scientists found more than 600 distinct viruses after swabbing peoples' toothbrushes and shower heads — but thankfully, the vast majority of them are more helpful than harmful. Northwestern microbiologist Erica Hartmann, lead author of a new study published this week in [*Frontiers in Microbiomes*](), [told *Gizmodo*]() that she was equal parts shocked and fascinated when discovering that these everyday objects were teeming with bacteria-eating viruses known as bacteriophages. "There is so much about the world around us that we don’t understand — including the things that may seem familiar," explained, she said. "We started out looking at things like toothbrushes and showerheads because they are important sources of microbes that we’re exposed to, but we don’t know which microbes they carry or what factors influence them." The latest study was an update to the Northwestern team's 2021 project "[Operation Pottymouth]()," which involved investigating the sources of the bacteria found on toothbrushes. Though there was incredible diversity among the more than 600 phage samples, a type that kills illness-causing mycobacteria was slightly more common than any other, Harmann said. Given that mycobacteria can cause serious infections like [leprosy]() and [tuberculosis](), it's a good thing that viruses killing them were present as well. "Toothbrushes and showerheads harbor phage that are unlike anything we’ve seen before," the microbiologist said. "Not only did we find different phage on toothbrushes and showerheads, we found different phage on *each* toothbrush and *each* showerhead." Phages have in recent years been [studied and used as treatments]() for bacterial infections, especially those that have [mutated to resist antibiotics](). While Hartmann insists these findings are captivating on their own merit, knowing that they may be used in medical treatments makes them that much more useful. "It could be," she said, "that the next great antibiotic will be based on something that grew on your toothbrush." While that's not exactly pleasant to think about, it certainly sounds a hell of a lot better than leaving a [mycobacterial infection]() like TB or chronic ulcers untreated. **More on bacteria:** [*Scientists Gene Hack Bacteria That Breaks Down Plastic Waste*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()