VOA慢速英语2016 鸡体内的“超级病菌”可致人生病

AS IT IS 2016-09-30 ＂Superbug＂ Linked to Chicken Sickens People 鸡体内的“超级病菌”可致人生病

An international team of scientists has identified a new kind of “superbug” -- or strong bacteria -- that has made people sick.

一个国际的科学家团队发现了一种新型“超级病菌”--一种很强的细菌--它可导致人类生病。

They link the development of the superbug to the use of antibiotic¹ drugs in farm animals.

科学家们将这种超级病菌的发展原因归结于家禽使用了抗菌药物。

The scientists say this new strain of Methicillin-resistant² Staphylococcus aureus -- known as MRSA – sickened at least 10 people in Denmark.They said the bacteria is resistant to several antibiotics³ and can kill chickens.

科学家们表示，这种新型耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）已致丹麦至少十人生病。他们认为，这种新型细菌对多种抗生素都有耐药性，并且还可杀死鸡。

This strain is not found in Denmark.The researchers believe the Danes likely got sick from it by eating or being close to imported chicken.

丹麦国内并未发现这种病菌。调查者们认为，丹麦人可能是通过食入进口鸡或与之有亲密接触而生病的。

Most people do not get MRSA from animals used as food.The bacteria usually spreads through person-to-person contact in hospitals or other buildings where people live in small, crowded spaces.Farm workers have a higher risk of staph infections.

大多数人并非是食用动物做成的食物而感染MRSA的。这种细菌通常是依靠医院或其它建筑物内人与人的接触传播的，这些地方的人们居住在狭小拥挤的空间里。农场工被葡萄球菌感染的风险很高。

The researchers compared the strains of MRSA in the 10 Danes to staph infections in other people and in livestock⁴.They found the strain came from poultry⁵ -- animals like chickens and turkeys.

研究人员将十个丹麦人体内的新型MRSA病菌和其他人及牲畜体内的葡萄球菌进行了对比。他们发现，新型MRSA来自于家禽，比如鸡或火鸡。

The contaminated meat in Denmark was imported from other countries, including France, the Netherlands and Germany.

丹麦受感染的肉类是从法国、荷兰和德国等国家进口的。

The findings were published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.They show that this strain of the virus may be more-easily passed from meat to people.

《临床传染病》期刊刊登了此发现。该期刊上显示，人类更容易通过食肉的方式感染这种新型病毒。

Last week, the United Nations held a high-level meeting of experts on antibiotic resistance.They talked about how resistance could become an international crisis if steps are not taken.

上周，联合国举办了高层会议，研究抗生素耐药性的专家参与其中。他们谈论到，如果不采取措施，耐药性问题会成为全球危机。

One of their main worries is the overuse and misuse⁶ of antibiotics. If the drugs are used too often they can become ineffective. More superbugs like MRSA will develop, the experts said.They called on governments and private companies to work together to stop the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.

他们主要担忧的问题之一是过度使用抗生素或滥用抗生素问题。药品若经常使用，它们会慢慢失效。专家表示，会出现更多像MRSA这样的超级病菌。他们呼吁政府和私企共同努力，阻止抗生素过度使用和误用的问题。

Laura MacCleery was at the meeting.She works for the Washington, D.C.-based Consumers Union. She says animals that are raised on farms for food are often given antibiotics to prevent disease and help them grow faster.

劳拉·马克克莱里参加了此次会议。她在华盛顿特区的消费者联盟工作。她表示，在农场上养殖的用于食用的动物通常会被喂养抗生素，这样有助于防止疾病，还帮助它们生长地更快。

MacCleery said the experts discussed measures to reduce resistance to antibiotics.

马克克莱里称，专家们讨论了减轻对抗生素耐药性的措施。

She said, “Drug pricing and availability at a level of provider incentives⁷, those are the kinds of things that governments can do to discourage inappropriate prescribing among physicians,and to educate consumers about the potential risk of antibiotic resistance.”

她表示，“供应商可进行价格调控和减少供应，这些是政府能够阻止医生不适当开药的措施，还可告知消费者抗生素耐药性潜在的风险。”

MacCleery says her organization has persuaded restaurants like McDonald’s to agree not to sell chicken treated with antibiotics.

马克克莱里称，她所在的机构已经说服诸如麦当劳之类的餐馆，同意不再销售喂养过抗生素的鸡。

Words in This Story

strain –n. one of several closely related infectious micro-organisms

contaminated –n. infected, containing something harmful

routinely –adv. regularly

sub-therapeutic doses –n. less than the required amount of a medicine

unsanitary –adj. not clean

incentives –n. something that encourages someone to carry out some action

prescribe –v. to officially tell someone to use a medicine or treatment to get better

1 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

2 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

3 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

4 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

5 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?

6 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。

7 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法