GLOSSARY

Gut Viruses include viruses with different hosts in the intestine, not all directly targeting human cells.

The virome is an environment's viral assemblage; bacteriophages infect bacteria. Some lyse their hosts while others follow different life cycles, and not every gut virus causes human disease. Virome methods differ from ordinary bacterial profiling. A detected viral sequence does not alone establish active infection or justify self-directed phage products. Host identity, activity and clinical context matter alongside sequence detection and ecological interactions.

Microbiota refers to organisms in an environment; microbiome can also include their genes and ecological setting, depending on the definition. Gut communities contain more than bacteria, and intestinal regions differ. Stool offers a useful view of part of this system, not a complete map of small-intestinal or mucosal populations. Define the sample and terminology before interpreting a report as a description of the entire body.

Phylum, family, genus, species and strain are different taxonomic levels; one strain's result cannot automatically represent its whole genus. Scientific revisions change names while older names remain in reports. Match current and historical names when comparing labels with studies. A ratio between two large phyla alone does not diagnose obesity, health or athletic readiness, and classification is not a ranking of universal benefit.

For example, read a post-travel or post-diet sample with the same period's history; a teammate difference or striking percentage alone is neither a supplement target nor proof of lost readiness.