biostudies-literatureRomanenko ASwiss National Science Foundatione0236624https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11837565biostudies-literatureUnknown91(2)Human enteric viruses can remain infective in surface waters for extended periods of time, posing a public health risk. Microbial activity contributes to the inactivation of waterborne enteric viruses, but while individual bacteria-virus interactions have been characterized, the importance of microbial diversity remains unknown. Here, we experimentally manipulated the diversity of bacterial communities from Lake Geneva across three seasons using a dilution-to-extinction approach and monitored the inactivation and genome decay of echovirus 11, a member of the <i>Enterovirus</i> genus. Long-read sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed diversity gradients ranging between 373 and 2,722 bacterial species. Compared to sterile controls, echovirus 11 inactivation was enhanced by the presence of aApplied and environmental microbiologyDiversity of lake bacteria promotes human echovirus inactivation.PMC118375652152261Kohn TPeter HMeibom JRomanenko ABorchardt MAfalseDiversity of lake bacteria promotes human echovirus inactivation.Human enteric viruses can remain infective in surface waters for extended periods of time, posing a public health risk. Microbial activity contributes to the inactivation of waterborne enteric viruses, but while individual bacteria-virus interactions have been characterized, the importance of microbial diversity remains unknown. Here, we experimentally manipulated the diversity of bacterial communities from Lake Geneva across three seasons using a dilution-to-extinction approach and monitored the inactivation and genome decay of echovirus 11, a member of the <i>Enterovirus</i> genus. Long-read sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed diversity gradients ranging between 373 and 2,722 bacterial species. Compared to sterile controls, echovirus 11 inactivation was enhanced by the presence of a2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Feb2025-04-04T02:04:52.362Z2025-04-04T02:04:52.362ZS-EPMC118375653981903710.1128/aem.02366-24