VOA标准英语2008年-AIDS Research Continues at US Laboratory, After

By Zulima Palacio
Washington
08 May 2008
 

Although the government and researchers halted¹ most clinical trials for an AIDS vaccine², a research institute in Baltimore continues its work on the most deadly virus of our times.  Vaccine trials were stopped late last year when it appeared the drug put some people at a higher risk of getting the disease³. Scientists at the Institute for Human Virology are hard at work developing a new vaccine. VOA producer Zulima Palacio has the story, beginning with a scientist in the institute's lab.

Scientist Alfredo Garzino says, "In this laboratory⁴ we are interested in the study of host responses to HIV infection that can limit and potentially prevent infection."

Garzino a research professor at The Institute of Human Virology in Baltimore continues laboratory work on HIV/AIDS. 

After most human trials of potential AIDS vaccines⁵ were halted, the co-founder of the institute says he had opposed that human testing. Dr. Robert Gallo says none of the test vaccines were ready, "We have been too quick to do clinical trials and too slow to have focus efforts to get answers to critically needed questions before we can have a successful vaccine."

Dr. Gallo adds that the temptation⁶ to just try something has led to testing new vaccines that most scientists felt very strongly could not work. 

"This has hurt the field there is no doubt about it.  It has made some people want to stop funding vaccine research and it would be a big mistake," Dr. Gallo said. 

In 1984, Dr. Gallo co-discovered the retrovirus that causes AIDS.  He later developed the blood test to screen donated blood and diagnosed⁷ HIV in early stages.  Dr. Gallo says his research on an AIDS vaccine continues and it could be ready for trials in one to two years.  If it works⁸, he says, it will take years before it could be available to the public, "I think it could happen in some 8 to 12 years."

Meanwhile, Dr. Gallo says the institute will continue all its research on HIV/AIDS.  Nearly 40-million people are still living with the disease.  The Institute is testing, coaching and counseling⁹ about 200,000 people in Africa and the Caribbean.

In Baltimore, the institute's home, thousands are treated daily.  Judith Shaw-McKnight was infected 17 years ago. She says, "My partner, I trusted him.  I received him unprotected and I sit positive before you today."

Judith's partner for two decades and the father of her only daughter died of AIDS years ago, leaving her alone and infected.  She says after a long, difficult time she sought help and found it.  She now works as a receptionist at the Baltimore AIDS Clinic, a part of the institute, where nearly 4,000 HIV/AIDS patients get treatment.

Besides being HIV positive, Shaw-McKnight has also survived breast cancer.  She says she started taking AIDS medications when she felt sick.  But the daily medication has side effects. "When you start on anti viral drugs you have to take them the way they are supposed to be taken and you have to take them every day,” she said. “We are talking about something you are going to be taking for the rest of your life."

Like Judith, millions of people around the world are now depending on a daily treatment, until a more permanent solution is found.  And still, the World Bank reports in Sub-Saharan Africa, there are six new HIV cases for every one person who starts antiretroviral therapy¹⁰.

1 halted   

v.（使）停下来( halt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The terrorists have halted their bloody campaign of violence. 恐怖分子已经停止了他们凶残的暴力活动。
• She walked towards him and then halted. 她向他走去，然后停下。

2 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。

3 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

4 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

5 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。

6 temptation   

n.诱惑，引诱；v.引，诱

参考例句：

• I should congratulate you that you resisted the temptation.我应向你祝贺，你抗住了这种引诱。
• Will they be able to resist the temptation to buy?他们能忍住诱惑不买吗？

7 diagnosed   

诊断( diagnose的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Some foetal malformations cannot be diagnosed until late in pregnancy. 有些胎儿的畸形部位得等到妊娠后期才能诊断出来。
• He diagnosed the trouble that caused the engine to knock. 他找出了引擎咔咔响的毛病所在。

8 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

9 counseling   

n.咨询服务

参考例句：

• A multimillionaire media magnate has shocked his employees with his candor by telling them all that he's putting his business affairs on hold to enter an alcoholism-counseling program. 一位身份数百万的媒体大亨，坦诚地告诉他全体员工他将暂时搁置他的事业以便参加戒酒班，令员工大为惊愕。
• She will need medical help and counseling to overcome the tragedy. 她将需要医疗帮助和心理咨询来平复这场悲剧。

10 therapy   

n.治疗；疗法

参考例句：

• The doctor said she should be given a physical therapy.医生说她应该进行理疗。
• She will need to have the therapy repeated every few months.她将需要每隔几个月就进行一次治疗。