反口蹄疫的疫苗

36 反口蹄疫的疫苗

VOICE ONE:
 (Start at 1'00") American scientists are developing new vaccine¹ medicines against Foot-and-Mouth Disease. They hope to stop serious infections like the one now affecting animals in Europe. Currently, Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccines² are made from a virus that causes the disease. Such vaccines use a killed or weakened virus.

However, experts say the current vaccines are difficult to use. They say such vaccines offer only short-term protection against Foot-and-Mouth disease. The United States Department of Agriculture is working to develop more powerful and longer-lasting vaccines. The Department operates the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. It is near the coast of Long Island, New York. The center is the only American laboratory with enough £±) security to safely study the virus.

VOICE TWO:
Peter Mason directs the Foot-and-Mouth Disease research team at Plum Island. He says the team is using genetic³ engineering to develop several new kinds of vaccines. One new kind of vaccine uses genetic material from the virus. It is injected into the animal. The D-N-A £²) molecules⁴ cause the animal to make proteins similar to those produced by the virus. This helps the animal to develop resistance to the disease.

Another method involves pieces of genetic material from the Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus. Scientists put this D-N-A material into other harmless viruses. When injected into a healthy animal, the changed viruses can cause resistance to fight Foot-and-Mouth and other diseases.

VOICE ONE:
Mister Mason says both experimental vaccines would be effective for controlling infections among large numbers of animals. He says the vaccines help build up natural resistance quickly and safely among animals near infected areas.

The American scientist says tests with the new vaccines are hopeful. However, the vaccines probably will not be ready to be used for several years.

(THEME)
 
VOICE TWO:
This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written and produced by George Grow. This is Sarah Long.

VOICE ONE:
And this is Bob Doughty⁵. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

(1) security [ si5kjuEriti ] n.安全
(2) molecules [ 5mClikju:l, 5mEu- ]n.[化]分子, 些微

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 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。

3 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

4 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

5 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。