VOA常速英语2007-Vaccine-Derived Virus Threatens Nigeria's Polio

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
26 October 2007

A rare outbreak of vaccine¹-derived polio in Nigeria has prompted fears that current efforts to eradicate² the disease in northern part of the country could suffer a major setback³. The World Health Organization says 69 children in Nigeria caught the paralyzing disease from others who had been immunized. From Kano, Gilbert da Costa reports the outbreak could reopen suspicions about Western vaccines⁴ in one of the most endemic regions.

Figures released by UNICEF indicate that for the first time since 2002, Nigeria does not have the highest number of polio cases globally.
 
They show an overall 80 percent decline in the number of children infected with wild polio between January and August 2007. Only 198 cases of polio have been recorded so far this year, compared with 945 cases in 2006.
 
In the teeming⁵ northern city of Kano, the streets are lined with green steel plates bearing scrawled⁶ quotes from the Koran. Women tucked into their hijabs and veils hurry past in this predominantly Muslim region.
 
Musa Salisu, 47, was paralyzed by polio at a tender age. His wife, Hadiza, is also a polio victim, same as Ibrahim, their four-year-old son.
 
Salisu leads some 900 polio victims on advocacy campaigns across the bustling⁷ metropolis⁸. They accompany vaccination⁹ teams to areas where resistance is still a bother.
 
Salisu tells VOA that he often asks reticent¹⁰ mothers a simple question; do you want your child to end up a cripple like me?
 
"If my members never enter into awareness¹¹ [campaign] with the people, the people can never agree [to be vaccinated]," he noted¹².  "Because most of the time if we go round for immunization, house-by-house, if the owner of the house cannot agree to immunize their children, we will advise him, 'do you want your son to be like me?' The person [will] say, 'I will not agree.' I will say, okay, give your son for immunization."

Kano has long been the epicenter of resistance to polio vaccinations¹³. In 2003, Muslim clerics led a 13-month boycott¹⁴ of polio vaccinations, arguing that the vaccines were part of a Western plot to sterilize¹⁵ Muslims.
 
The Nigerian government and its international partners are deeply worried the confirmation¹⁶ of vaccine-derived polio in parts of northern Nigeria could undermine growing support for vaccination in the region.
 
The World Health Organization says more than 10 billion polio doses have been administered to children worldwide, and the vaccine helped in slashing¹⁷ polio incidence by 99 percent since 1988.
 
Experts say no vaccine is risk-free.

1 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

2 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

3 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

4 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

5 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

6 scrawled   

乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I tried to read his directions, scrawled on a piece of paper. 我尽量弄明白他草草写在一片纸上的指示。
• Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it -- I got more." 汤姆在他的写字板上写了几个字：“请你收下吧，我多得是哩。”

7 bustling   

adj.喧闹的

参考例句：

• The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
• This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

8 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

9 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

10 reticent   

adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的

参考例句：

• He was reticent about his opinion.他有保留意见。
• He was extremely reticent about his personal life.他对自己的个人生活讳莫如深。

11 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

15 sterilize   

vt.使不结果实；使绝育；使无效；杀菌，消毒

参考例句：

• Antiseptic is used to sterilize the skin before giving an injection.杀菌剂被用于在注射前给皮肤消毒。
• He pricks the blister on his heel with a sterilize needle.他用一根消过毒的针扎破他脚后跟上的水泡。

16 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

17 slashing   

adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
• He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手，不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句