Researchers at La Trobe University in Australia have discovered a virus that attacks a well-known pathogenic bacteria that can not only cause gum disease but also cancer.
novel virus under electron microscope
Usually, Florabacterium is part of the normal microbial community of the upper respiratory tract, oral and colon, but some species, such as , have Flora nucleus or Protobacterium , are considered opportunistic pathogens. When immunity is weakened (for example, due to previous illnesses or taking certain medications), they can lead to inflammatory processes of necrotic and even the emergence of cancerous tumors. The most well-known consequence of a sharp increase in the number of Florabacterium is inflammation of the gums or periodontitis of , which can lead to tooth loss or damage to the entire jaw. In addition, nucleus Flora nucleus living in the oral cavity can cause the growth and spread of cancerous tumors in large intestine or breast .
As antibiotic resistance spreads in bacteria, traditional methods against Fusobacteria may not work, and scientists are looking for new ways to inhibit the growth of these microorganisms. Now, they seem to have discovered a new virus—a "bacterial hunter" or bacteriophage—that is capable of purposefully eliminating Fusobacterium.
The virus was discovered as early as 2019, but its uniqueness took two years to be officially recognized by the International Virus Classification Commission, which named it Latrobevirus, with scientists from Australia's La Trobe University first trying to isolate it.
Flora in liquid culture is a seemingly harmless rod-shaped microorganism, which may cause many problems to people
According to the information resource Phys.org, a professional virus that can eliminate "bad" bacteria without harming "good" bacteria will make it more accurate and accurate to treat bacterial infections, rather than "shooting ants" it becomes possible to use hunting gun . "Maybe in the near future, the dysbiosis and other unpleasant consequences of antibiotic treatment will become a thing of the past, and tiny phages will protect our health.
