Intestinal viruses contribute to human health and disease

What is it about?

We reviewed almost all papers that had been published up until July 2017 on the human intestinal virome – the viruses found in our intestines – and summarized technical challenges facing virome research, and how viromes influence human health and disease.

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Why is it important?

Most research on the intestinal microbiota has focussed on bacteria. While it is undeniable these organisms are important to maintaining health and can be affected by and influence human disease, relatively little attention has been paid to the association of intestinal viruses with human health. There are as many viruses in the human gut as there are bacteria. Each individual has a unique virome that is relatively stable over time, but can be influenced by factors such as diet, medications and health status. Recent research has demonstrated that changes in intestinal viral diversity are associated with infectious and autoimmune diseases: for example, there are differences between the intestinal viromes of healthy individuals and patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Equally as important as their association with disease is the contribution of intestinal viruses to maintaining health. Intestinal viruses that infect bacteria (bacteriophages) protect us from pathogenic bacteria, and can be used to treat Clostridium difficile infections. Bacteriophages, therefore, may be useful in targeted therapies for other intestinal diseases. It is important that we carry out detailed studies of the human intestinal virome, and gain a deeper understanding of how viruses influence health and disease.

Perspectives