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Phages in mucus aid immune system by killing invading bacteria. ...animal mucus — whether from humans, fish or corals — is loaded with bacteria-killing viruses called phages. These protect their hosts from infection by destroying incoming bacteria. In return, the phages are exposed to a steady torrent of microbes in which to reproduce. 
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The worldwide emergence of ‘superbugs’ and a dry antibiotic pipeline threaten modern society with a return to the preantibiotic era. Phages – the viruses of bacteria – could help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Phage therapy was first attempted in 1919 by Felix d’Herelle and was commercially developed in the 1930s before being replaced by antibiotics in most of the western world.
I have long had a fascination for the use of phages to treat disease - and now it looks like it's the new-new wave of the future, as antibiotics begin to fail. Image courtesy of Russell Kightley Media
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micromicrobe: “ Microbial image of the month I’ve previously posted an image of a single phage, but this month’s image shows phages in action, infecting a bacterial cell. With their tail fibres and...
Ed Rybicki's insight:
So. UNBELIEVABLY. Frakkin'. Cool! Thanks, @AJCann!
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Amazing stuff - that animals can co-opt bacterial viruses as part of their innate immune systems! Thanks to Joann Passmore for pointing this out.