Although the disciplines of bacteriology and virology frequently come together 
in the setting of a diagnostic medical microbiology laboratory, the two 
scientific fields are usually miles apart. The microbiologists basically form 
two non-overlapping groups of scientists, the bacteriologists and virologists, 
which go to separate meetings and do not easily intermingle. Some recent 
research findings about elegant virus-bacterium interactions may change this 
situation. Obviously, interactions between these two microbes can occur only 
when they colocalize, which most likely occurs in the gut/intestines where 
10(14) commensal bacteria reside (the microbiota). We review findings on the 
following enteric microbial tandems: norovirus - Enterobacter cloacae, mouse 
mammary tumor virus (MMTV) - bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), poliovirus and 
reovirus - intestinal bacteria. The close bacterium-virus interplay may also 
present options to develop unique therapeutic strategies for those infected, and 
to prevent further virus spread, and thus minimize the risk for the community.