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The Microbiome’s Forgotten Cousin Could Be Key to Solving America’s Gut Issues

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There are billions , perhaps even trillions , of these viruses inside the human digestive system.

Phageome science has skyrocketed recently, says Breck Duerkop , a bacteriologist at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine .

Researchers suspect that if physicians could harness or target the right phages, they might be able to improve human health.

As a case in point, scientists are seeking phages that could be used therapeutically to infect the bacteria that cause ulcers. Be grateful for the trillions of phages managing your gut’s ecosystem. Without them, Hill suggests, a few kinds of bacteria might quickly come to dominate — potentially leaving you unable to digest some foods and subject to gas and bloating. The wild and wondrous phagosome is a dance partner for bacteria and humans alike. This article originally appeared in Knowable Magazine , an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews. Sign up for the newsletter..