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Over 140,000 Virus Species Recently Discovered in the Human Gut

Viruses are uncomfortably common. In fact, they are one of the most common and constant annoyances of nature. There are some that are avoidable, others not so much. Since the start of the current global pandemic, people around the world have been very careful about keeping their homes and bodies disinfected and as void of bacteria as possible. Likewise, scientists and medical professionals across the globe have been more cautious about their sequencing and procedures, and have conducted more extensive studies regarding the human body than have been necessary for quite a few decades.

A Result of dna-sequencing

Many of these studies have provided very useful information about our bodies, helping our doctors develop more ways to keep us as healthy and safe as possible. One of these discoveries, however, is every bit as disturbing as it is useful. Earlier this month, our doctors and scientists discovered that over 140,000 virus species exist in the human gut, using a DNA-sequencing method known as metagenomics, which is the study of genetic material found in environmental samples. It is also widely known that the gut holds many functions, some of which we are still not sure we understand. They play a part in our bowel movements, our allergic reactions, and sometimes even our size. Knowing that the human gut is already known to hold so many issues is a scary thought, not to mention that it’s a crucial part of our body. What makes this more terrifying, however, is the fact that none of these species have never been seen before now.

Although not all of them are harmful, doctors are still determined, with DNA-sequencing, to conduct and analysis of all 140,000 of the newly discovered bacteria and help us determine which ones are indeed harmful, and which ones are nothing to worry about. They will soon be able to answer this question by carefully continuing their sequencing and analysis of the microbiome, which is an umbrella term for all of the microbiota residing in human tissue and biofluids.

There is one particularly useful bit of information about these many species. There is an entire clade, or group of viruses believed to have developed from the same genetic roots, that was discovered from the metagenomics: The Gubaphage, as it is referred to by the doctors, is the second most prevalent virus discovered in the microbiome since the crassphage, which was discovered back in 2014.

While this information is useful, it is hardly a relief, because we have yet to discover the exact functions of this new virus. All the medical professionals can tell us right now is that the two viruses seem to infect very much the same areas of the body. Unfortunately, this is much like comparing the flu with Covid-19. However our doctors and scientists still deserve recognition and appreciation. With how quickly they have been jumping on this new discovery, we can rest assured they will find the answers soon, and we can trust them to tell us any information they can gather, keeping us well informed and advising us on what we can do to stay safe and healthy.