VOA常速英语2016--胡须上的细菌帮助发现新抗生素

胡须上的细菌帮助发现新抗生素

Widespread use of antibiotics² for conditions that don't require them has spurred mutations in bacteria strains, turning them into so-called superbugs.

抗生素的滥用引发细菌产生变异，成为所谓的“超级细菌”。

As a result, some of the diseases that once were easily treatable with antibiotics, such as pneumonia³ and kidney infections, are becoming deadly again. But a recent lab test in Britain showed that men's facial hair is teeming⁴ with a variety of bacteria, all fighting for survival. Some of them produce substances with antibiotic¹ properties.

结果，一些以前可以被抗生素轻松治愈的疾病如肺炎和肾感染，又变成致命治病了。但最近英国的实验室测试表明男性面部毛发上满是各种为生存而努力挣扎的细菌，其中一些制造出具有抗生性质的物质。

"So from 20 beards we managed to isolate⁵ at least a hundred different isolates⁶ from them, and around 25 percent of these showed antibiotic activity against our indicator⁷ strain,” said Adam Roberts, senior lecturer in microbial diseases at University College London.

英国伦敦大学学院微生物疾病资深讲师亚当·罗伯特说，“我们从20个胡须中隔离出至少100种细菌来，其中大约25%的细菌对我们的指示菌株表现出抗生性。”

The research at University College London was spurred by media reports saying that there are more germs in a man's beard than on a toilet seat. These sparked a debate on whether beards are good or bad for men's health.

伦敦大学学院的研究是受到媒体报道的启发，有媒体报道称男性胡须上的细菌比马桶坐垫上的细菌还要多，这就引发了胡须对男性健康是否有益的辩论。

"We wanted to either disprove or prove that that was actually correct, and we could find no evidence of that. So we have no real conclusion to say that beards are bad for you. Likewise, we can't really say that they're good for you,” Roberts said.

“我们想证明我们到底是对还是错，我们发现没有证据表明这一点。所以我们没有得出所谓胡须有害的结论，同样我们也没有说胡须对人有益。”

Drug-resistant strains

But the tests showed that certain species of bacteria produce toxins⁸ that kill other bacteria, in one case even a particularly drug-resistant strain of E. coli, which can cause deadly diseases.

但是测试表明一些种类的细菌制造出能杀死其他细菌的毒素，其中一个测试甚至制造出一种抗药性的大肠杆菌，大肠杆菌能引发致命疾病。

The finding is crucial at a time when existing antibiotics are less and less effective, and new ones have not been discovered. Scientists say they are testing bacteria from various sources.

这一发现很重要，因为现在现有的抗生素的药效越来越差，而新的抗生素还没有被发现，科学家称他们通过各种途径来测试细菌。

"So we don't need any more beards. And we've got other samples from all over the country -- from child's trampolines, to fridges, to cats. We've now got a selection of around 50 different bacteria which can kill multiple indicator strains."

“我们不需要更多的胡须，我们从全国各地得到其他的样本，从孩子的蹦床上、冰箱上、猫身上。我们现在得到大约50种不同的细菌，这些细菌能杀死多种指标菌株。”

 

But don't expect a new miracle drug anytime soon. Scientists warn that properly testing and purifying a novel antibiotic is a long and expensive process, riddled⁹ with failures.

但不要指望很快就能出现一种神奇的药物，科学家警告称适当的测试和净化一种新型抗生素是一个漫长和代价昂贵的过程，而且充满了失败。

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 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。

3 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

4 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

5 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

6 isolates   

v.使隔离( isolate的第三人称单数 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• The transformer isolates the transistors with regard to d-c bias voltage. 变压器可在两个晶体管之间隔离直流偏压。 来自辞典例句
• In regions with certain isolates of TRV, spraining is more prominent. 在具有TRV某些分离物的地区，坏死是比较显著的。 来自辞典例句

7 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

8 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 riddled   

adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式)

参考例句：

• The beams are riddled with woodworm. 这些木梁被蛀虫蛀得都是洞。
• The bodies of the hostages were found riddled with bullets. 在人质的尸体上发现了很多弹孔。 来自《简明英汉词典》