Intestinal virome: An important research direction for alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver diseases

Abstract

In recent years, the interaction between the gut microflora and liver diseases has attracted much attention. The intestinal microflora is composed of bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses. There are few studies on the intestinal virome, and whether it has a causal relationship with bacterial changes in the gut is still unclear. However, it is undeniable that the intestinal virome is also a very important portion of the blueprint for the development of liver diseases and the diagnosis and therapeutic modalities in the future.

Keywords: Alcoholic fatty liver disease; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Fatty liver disease; Gut microbiome; Intestinal virome

Core Tip: As of the study of the gut microflora expands, the interaction between the intestinal virome and liver diseases has been gradually revealed. In this letter to the editor, we discuss the changes in the intestinal virome in patients with alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic liver disease, and provide suggestions for developing future diagnosis and treatment methods.