Fig. 1

The potential importance of intestinal phages in the gut. Phages can regulate the bacterial population of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, they can also mediate anti-inflammatory action, not only by mere elimination of bacterial pathogens, but also by direct interactions with cells producing proinflammatory cytokines and reducing the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, thereby downregulating oxidative stress. Phage interactions with gut-associated lymphoid tissue may cause protective immunomodulating effects. Those and other phage effects may be similar to the health benefits provided by probiotics