VOA标准英语2015--埃博拉病毒疫苗进入最后审判阶段

Ebola Vaccine¹ Enters Final Trial Phase 埃博拉病毒疫苗进入最后审判阶段

An Ebola vaccine candidate enters the final phase of its trial Saturday (3/7) in Guinea. If successful, a vaccine could be ready for use in five or six months.

The VSV-EBOV vaccine was developed by Canada’s Public Health Agency. World Health Organization vaccine expert Dr. Marie-Pierre Préziosi said Phase III will be conducted in the Basse Guinée region. It’s had the highest number of Ebola cases in the country

“Phase III trial aims to test for safety and efficacy or effectiveness of a candidate vaccine. This is a final trial prior to licensure of a vaccine. The vaccination² phase in itself is anticipated to last about 60 days. And then there will be a follow-up period of about 84 days. That is about three months. So altogether it should be around six months duration,” she said.

The vaccine is based on a genetically³ engineered virus that’s been given some proteins of the Ebola virus.

“This is a very common technique to make good vaccines,” she said.

The strategy being used in the Phase III trial is known as “ring vaccination.” It’s a technique that was used to eradicate⁴ smallpox⁵ in the 1970s. Researchers identify a newly diagnosed Ebola patient, who is called the “index case.” Then they trace all of his or her contacts and vaccinate⁶ them, if they give their consent. The goal is to create a buffer⁷ zone that prevents the spread of the disease.

Dr. Préziosi said it’s important to have an Ebola vaccine even though the number of new cases is on the decline.

“Although we see that cases are declining and the outbreak seems to be waning⁸, unfortunately, as we speak there are still cases in various locations in Guinea. So, this really tells us that the epidemic⁹ is not over. We need to continue because this environment is quite unpredictable and the epidemic might flare-up again. And also if we are able to have an effective vaccine it would be really an invaluable¹⁰ tool to fight this outbreak and any other outbreak that would come in the future.”

She said a vaccine could be used in several ways in the next Ebola outbreak. For example, it could be given only to frontline workers – those in direct contact with patients – or given to large portions of a country’s population.

“We are all holding our breath because we are living a very important moment for this outbreak and for any future outbreak,” she said.

It’s not clear what the cost of an Ebola vaccine dose will be.

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 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。

3 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

4 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。

5 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

6 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。

7 buffer   

n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲

参考例句：

• A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时，很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
• Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。

8 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

10 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。