2020年经济学人新型冠状病毒肺炎和污染（打印版）

Pollution and disease have long been associated in people's minds. The very word "malaria", for example, means "bad air" in Italian.

一直以来，人类都认为污染和疾病有联系。例如，“疟疾”这个词在意大利语中的意思就是“糟糕的空气”。

But the germ theory of infection, developed in the 19th century, knocked on the head the idea that it is the air itself which causes illness.

但19世纪发展起来的细菌感染理论推翻了空气本身导致疾病的观点。

Rather, bad smells indicate sources of pathogens, such as sewage, which are best avoided.

相反，难闻的气味表明最好避免病原体的来源，如污水。

A paper just published by a group of Italian researchers does, however, posit the idea that SARS-COV-2,

但一个意大利研究人员团队刚刚发表的一篇论文提出SARS-COV-2

the virus behind the covid-19 pandemic, might be getting a helping hand from atmospheric pollution.

这种造成covid-19大流行的病毒可能从大气污染中得到了帮助。

The paper in question, by Leonardo Setti of the University of Bologna and his colleagues, has not yet been through any process of peer review.

该论文由博洛尼亚大学的Leonardo Setti和他的同事撰写，目前还没有经过任何的同行审查。

Such early releases are, though, becoming common-place for covid-19-related work,

尽管如此，这样的早期发布已经成为与covid-19相关的工作中常见的情况，

on the assumption that holding ideas back for bureaucratic approval might cost lives.

因为他们认为，为了得到官僚机构的批准而拖延想法可能会付出生命的代价。

Dr Setti and his associates found themselves wondering why

Setti博士和他的同事们想知道为什么

(even allowing for time lags caused by its arrival in different places on different dates)

（即使考虑到时间和地点差异所造成的时间延迟）

SARS-COV-2 seemed to spread much faster in Italy's north—

SARS-COV-2似乎在意大利北部传播的更快——

specifically in the wide plain that forms the valley of the Po—than in other parts of the country.

尤其是在形成波河流域的广阔平原上——在该国其他地方传播更慢。

Their hypothesis is that the catalyst was pollution—specifically, small airborne particles that might carry the virus on their surfaces.

他们的假设是，催化剂是污染物——具体来说，就是空气中携带病毒的小颗粒。

These are usually far more abundant in the Po valley than elsewhere.

的这些小颗粒通常比其他地方丰富得多。

In the paper, the researchers cite previous work from other places which suggests that influenza viruses,

在论文中，研究人员引用了以前其他地方的研究，这些研究表明流感病毒、

respiratory syncytial viruses and measles viruses can all spread by hitching lifts on such particles.

呼吸道合胞体病毒和麻疹病毒都可以通过搭载在这些颗粒上来传播。

And they make a good case that, allowing for a 14-day delay caused by SARS-COV-2's incubation period,

它们是很好的例子表明，考虑到SARS-COV-2潜伏期所造成的14天延迟，

the daily rates of new infections in the Po valley correlate closely with the level of particulate pollution.

波河流域的每日新感染率与颗粒物污染水平密切相关。

An alternative explanation for this correlation might be that, rather than carrying the virus themselves,

对这种相关性的另一种解释可能是，空气中的颗粒并没有携带病毒，

airborne particles increase susceptibility to infection in those who encounter the pathogen by some other means.

而是增加了那些通过其他途径接触病原体的人对感染的易感性。

Either way, though, a reduction in airborne particle levels may be a second way, independent of reduced human contact,

不管怎样，减少空气中的颗粒含量可能是第二种方法，不用依赖于减少人类接触，

that lockdowns will help stop the virus spreading around.

这种方法将有助于阻止病毒的传播。