PBS高端访谈:为什么爱荷华的禽流感爆发的如此猛烈?

 　　HARI SREENIVASAN: As we reported yesterday, the nation's largest egg-producing state, Iowa, has declared a state of emergency following a major outbreak of the avian flu.

　　Millions of chickens and turkeys there and in Wisconsin and Minnesota have been killed to try to contain the disease.

　　For more about all this, we are joined now via Skype from Ames, Iowa, by Amy Mayer. She is reporter for Harvest Public Media at Iowa Public Radio.

　　So, first of all, put this in perspective for us. How bad is it? How did it get this bad?

　　AMY MAYER, Harvest Public Media: We think, at this time approximately 25 percent of the laying hens in Iowa have been infected, and significant numbers of the turkeys in Iowa as well.

　　As you mentioned, Iowa is the largest producing state. It is the number one state for eggs. So this is a significant hit in eggs in Iowa. But, in terms of the overall marketplace, it is not a number that is going to, for example, have an impact on availability of eggs at the store.

　　How it got so big is really something scientists are still struggling with. They thought they had a pretty decent understanding of how this virus could spread, but the way it is moving right now has really caused them to rethink some of those ideas they had.

　　HARI SREENIVASAN: So, if you have got 25 percent of your chickens affected¹, do you have to kill off the other 75 percent? Is the whole sort of flock in danger?

　　AMY MAYER: I don't think anyone would say yet that the whole statewide flock is in danger.

　　When one farm is infected, all of the animals on that — at that site do have to be euthanized, if the virus doesn't kill them first.

　　And then they monitor daily every other poultry² operation and backyard flock and any domesticated³ birds living outdoors in a 10-kilometer radius⁴ around that infected farm.

　　Right now, the confirmed infections in Iowa are concentrated in the northwest part of the state, with just one county in Central Iowa waiting for confirmation⁵ of infection.

　　So, that does still leave a significant part of the state that hasn't yet had infection.

　　But, again, they have to monitor very effectively within those 10-kilometer quarantine areas.

　　HARI SREENIVASAN: Now, there is currently no threat to humans, but are people concerned, in the disposal of these chickens or these turkeys or these birds, how do we get rid of them, and how do we get rid of them in a safe way?

　　AMY MAYER: That is a big concern.

　　As you mentioned, the concern is not right now that there would be a problem with human health, but there are environmental concerns that need to be considered.

　　There's four basic ways that our Department of Natural Resources has determined⁶ the birds can be disposed of. The first would be to compost on site, usually within the enclosure.

　　The second is on-site burial. The third would be incineration. That might involve bringing a kiln⁷ to the property to incinerate the birds. And the fourth would be taking them to a landfill.

　　With each of those, there are concerns. For example, with burial, you have to be mindful of the water table and how deep you are going to bury the birds to prevent water pollution.

　　With incineration, obviously, there need to be properly air handlers to prevent any sort of air pollution.

　　And, for example, landfills would mean moving the birds. And there is still concern that, even from a dead bird, the live virus might possibly be able to be moved, because they really haven't identified exactly what the transmission processes are.

　　HARI SREENIVASAN: Amy Mayer, a reporter for Harvest Public Media at Iowa Public Radio, thanks so much.

　　AMY MAYER: Thank you.

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

3 domesticated   

adj.喜欢家庭生活的；（指动物）被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He is thoroughly domesticated and cooks a delicious chicken casserole. 他精于家务，烹制的砂锅炖小鸡非常可口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The donkey is a domesticated form of the African wild ass. 驴是非洲野驴的一种已驯化的品种。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 radius   

n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限

参考例句：

• He has visited every shop within a radius of two miles.周围两英里以内的店铺他都去过。
• We are measuring the radius of the circle.我们正在测量圆的半径。

5 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。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 kiln   

n.（砖、石灰等）窑，炉；v.烧窑

参考例句：

• That morning we fired our first kiln of charcoal.那天上午，我们烧了我们的第一窑木炭。
• Bricks are baked in a kiln.砖是在窑里烧成的。