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The Biological Warfare of Humans and Viruses 人与病毒的生物大战

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本  

We are at war. The battleground is your body, and the enemy is the invasion of influenza. Annually, this war escalates between December and March when new influenza strain march across the globe from the Far East. Generally our bodies can muster a defense to routine strains of influenza, but when a new viral mutation combines contagiousness and lethality, a pandemic – such as those of 1918, 1957, and 1968 – is the result.

人类正在作战中。战场就是人的身体，而敌人则是流行性感冒入侵。每年12月至3月间这场战争的疫情升高，因为新种的流行性感冒病毒从远东传到全球。一般正常情况下，人类身体有防卫机制能对抗普通的流感病毒，但是碰到新种的突变病毒把传染性和致命性做一结合，结果就会产生大流行──像是1918年、1957年、1968年的案例一样。

The Spanish flu of 1918 claimed nearly 40 million casualties. This illness manifested itself quickly and became a lethal form of pneumonia within hours of symptoms appearing. During the subsequent battles of 1957 and 1968, the medical counterattack squelched the viral enemy with minimal losses. However, there is no certainty of continued defensive success in this war; experts agree that another pandemic is imminent.

1918年的西班牙型流行性感冒造成约四千万人伤亡。这种病发病很快，病征显现几小时之内就会转成致命性的肺炎。接下来1957年和1968年的案例，医界以最少的损失成功回击，把流行性感冒给镇压住。不过接下来的这场防御战仍无胜算把握；专家都同意另一次大流行即将爆发。

Influenza A is likely to be the enemy this time. The lethality of this influenza strain stems from its ability to infect mammals and birds. In areas where these two animal classes live in close proximity, such as southern China, simultaneous viral infections across such animals enable viruses to exchanged genetic material with deadly results. This genetic recombination will soon yield a cutting-edge viral attacker that is both contagious and lethal.

这一次的敌人预计是A型流行性感冒。这种流感病毒的致命性在于它能传染给哺乳类和鸟类。有些地区譬如中国的南部，这两类动物的居处非常接近，病毒同时传染给两种动物，进而交换遗传物质，而产生了致命的结果。病毒遗传物质重新组合会很快地使它产生最先进的攻击利器，不但具传染性，而且会致命。

Vocabulary

单词发音

invasion [ɪnˋveʒən] n.（疾病等的）侵袭; 入侵

escalate [ˋɛskə͵let] v.（使）〔战斗﹑暴力或不好的情况等〕升级; （使）恶化

strain [stren] n. 种，品种

muster [ˋmʌstɚ] v. 聚集(支持力量)

mutation [mjuˋteʃən] n. 变种，突变

contagiousness [kənˋtedʒəsnɪs] n. （接）触（传）染性

lethality [lɪˋθælətɪ] n. 致命性; 致命率

pandemic [pænˋdɛmɪk] n.【术语】广泛地区流行的病

claim [klem] v.（疾病，意外）夺去（生命）

casualty [ˋkæʒjʊəltɪ] n.〔事故或战斗中的〕伤者; 死者

manifest [ˋmænə͵fɛst] v. 显示;显露

pneumonia [njuˋmonjə] n. 肺炎

squelch [skwɛltʃ] v. 镇压；粉碎

imminent [ˋɪmənənt] adj.（危险等）逼近的；即将发生的

class [klæs] n.【生】（动植物分类的）纲

proximity [prɑkˋsɪmətɪ] n.【正式】〔距离或时间的〕接近﹐临近

simultaneous [͵saɪm!ˋtenɪəs] adj. 同时发生的，同时存在的

contagious [kənˋtedʒəs] adj. 感染性的；会蔓延的

Sentence of the Day

Scientists are engaged in a running battle with viruses.

科学家和病毒相互攻击。

running battle  相互追击；追击战

课文讲解

In late 1997, a lethal strain of avian influenza jumped species in Hong Kong and claimed the lives of 33 percent of its victims. Fortunately, that virus invader, the SARS coronavirus, reared its ugly head in early 2003. This virus was both lethal and virulent. Researchers worldwide are rolling out a two-pronged counterattack strategy.

1997年底，一种会致命的禽流感病毒在香港产生跨越物种的传染，百分之三十三的受害者死亡。幸运的是那种病毒传染性并不高，但不幸的是另一种入侵的相关病毒，SARS冠状病毒，却在2003年初起而肆虐。这种病毒不但致死率高，而且毒性强。全球研究人员推出了双重策略来对抗它。

The coronavirus virus responsible for SARS utilizes two key proteins to attack. The first is the transmission mechanism which enables the invader to adhere to tissue in the nose and lungs. The second is responsible for the atypical pneumonia symptoms and expresses itself after the virus penetrates a cell. The genes coding these strategic proteins have been cloned and inserted into a deactivated cold virus. After testing, this vaccine could be used to immunize individuals at the high risk for SARA exposure.

SARS冠状病毒利用两个关键蛋白质来进行攻击。第一个是传输机制，让进攻者得以黏附在鼻子和肺部的组织。第二个蛋白质导致非典型肺炎的各种症候，当病毒侵入细胞之后就会显现出来。把这些负责排序出关键蛋白质的基因复制，而后再注入已经失去活性的感冒病毒里，经过测试，这种疫苗可用来让感染SARS的高危险群免疫。

At the same time, British researchers have developed an alternate defense strategy. During viral invasion, the body often overreacts with an excessive defensive response, called a cytokine storm. Ironically, this overresponse is often responsible for the deadliest effects of a virus. A newly developed British drug limits the body’s own cytokine reaction to help the body help itself.

同时，英国研究人员已经发展出一种替代性的防卫办法。病毒入侵时，身体的防卫机制常常会反应过当，产生细胞激素风暴。讽刺的是，这种过当反应常常才是造成病毒产生致命效果的原因。最近英国发展出一种新药，作用在抑制自己身体产生组织介素的过当反应，以帮忙身体对抗疾病。

New weapons exist, but the next battle looms….

新武器已然存在，而下一场战争即将浮现…

－by David S. Klein

Vocabulary

单词发音

avian [ˋevɪən] adj. 鸟（类）的

SARS= Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 【医】严重急性呼吸道综合症（在中国俗称为“非典”，即非典型性肺炎（Atyptical Pneumonia）.

rear its ugly head  出现（不祥之物）to appear or become obvious after lying hidden

virulent [ˋvɪrjələnt] adj. 剧毒的；致命的

roll out 展开

two-pronged 两方面

pronged [prɔŋd] adj. 尖端分叉的

adhere [ədˋhɪr] v. 黏附，紧黏[（+to）]

code [kod] v. 编码，加密

clone [klon] v. 使…无性繁殖

immunize [ˋɪmjə͵naɪz] v.〔尤指通过注射而〕使〔人〕免疫

alternate [ˋɔltɚnɪt] adj. 代替的

cytokine ['saɪtəkaɪn] n. 细胞活素

loom [lum] v. 隐约地出现；阴森地逼近

Sentence of the Day

The immune system can be its own worst enemy.

免疫系统最大的敌人就是它自己。