VOA常速英语2008年-WHO Develops Long-Lasting, Low-Cost Meningitis

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
10 March 2008

With more than three months remaining in the peak meningitis season, outbreaks in Burkina Faso and Central African Republic have already taken hundreds of lives. But the World Health Organization says a new, low-cost, long-lasting vaccine¹, possibly available as soon as next year, could help prevent future outbreaks. Naomi Schwarz has more from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Thousands of cases of meningitis have been reported in countries across the so-called meningitis belt since the beginning of 2008.

The belt is a band of countries in Africa stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia. More than two-thirds of the world's cases of the often-deadly disease occur here.

This year, in Burkina Faso alone, more than 350 people have died from the disease, which attacks the lining² around the brain and spinal³ cord. Even with treatment, as many as 10 percent of meningitis patients die.

Most meningitis cases occur in the region's driest months, between January and June.

The WHO, along with governments in the region and other international health organizations, has vaccinated⁵ hundreds of thousands of people in the hardest hit areas.

But World Health Organization meningitis expert, Alexandro Costa, says the current vaccines⁶ have serious limitations in fighting meningitis.

"The immunity⁷ is just for two years. So for that reason, the vaccine is just for reactive vaccinations⁸, to control the outbreak, but it is not to immunize people for a long time," said Costa.

The current vaccines also do not protect very young children.

The WHO has developed a new vaccine they hope they can use to prevent outbreaks before they start.

"The new conjugate⁹ vaccine will give immunity for at least ten years, with the data that we have so far. It means that we can immunize people and also people [who are] not receiving the vaccine, will receive a benefit from the others, because we can interrupt the transmission of the meningococcal bacteria," added Costa.

The vaccine will target one particular strain of meningitis, called serotype A. Costa says this strain is responsible for nearly all the meningitis cases in Africa.

He says WHO hopes to use the new vaccine, which will only cost about 40 cents each, to vaccinate⁴ entire populations.

"We expect to eliminate the meningitis serotype A with the new vaccine," continued Costa.

The company that developed the new vaccine along with the WHO aim to begin distributing the vaccine by early next year.

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 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

3 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

4 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

5 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

6 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。

7 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

8 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》

9 conjugate   

vt.使成对，使结合；adj.共轭的，成对的

参考例句：

• A partition that is its own conjugate is ealled self-conjugate.一个分析如与其自身共轭称为自共轭。
• It is important to learn to conjugate irregular verbs.学会不规则动词的变化是相当重要的。