【英语时差8,16】炭疽

Until recently, for many of us anthrax was the name of a mid-80s heavy metal band. Now, unfortunately, we know anthrax as a deadly disease that threatens our safety. One way to protect ourselves is to know what anthrax is, and what causes it.  Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium¹. Spore-forming means that the bacterial² cells are at rest until they are exposed to favorable conditions for growth, for example when they come into contact with something they can infect.

Anthrax typically occurs among cattle, sheep, goats, and similar animals. Most human anthrax infections occur as a result of handling diseased animals. Once the bacterium enters a cut or abrasion³ on the skin, it eventually creates a rash consisting of itchy bumps with black marks in the center. With proper treatment this kind of anthrax infection is easily curable.

Eating anthrax-ridden meat results in a more serious infection. Symptoms include nausea⁴, vomiting⁵, abdominal⁶ pain, and severe diarrhea. Even with prompt care, there is an almost 50% chance of death in these cases.

The most deadly form of infection occurs through inhalation. What at first seems like a cold results in serious breathing problems, shock, and in most cases death.

The best way to avoid anthrax is to stay away from livestock⁷ and slaughtered⁸ meat in countries where the disease is likely to occur. Although it's difficult to protect against an attack using anthrax as a biological weapon since the spores⁹ are odorless, colorless, and tasteless, it may help to know something about the disease. 

1 bacterium   

n.(pl.)bacteria 细菌

参考例句：

• The bacterium possibly goes in the human body by the mouth.细菌可能通过口进入人体。
• A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。

2 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

3 abrasion   

n.磨（擦）破，表面磨损

参考例句：

• Diamonds have extreme resistance to abrasion.钻石极抗磨损。
• This analysis is helpful to the research of derailment and abrasion machenism.该分析有助于脱轨和磨耗机理的探讨。

4 nausea   

n.作呕，恶心；极端的憎恶(或厌恶)

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕期常有恶心的现象。
• He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。

5 vomiting   

吐

参考例句：

• Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. 症状有腹泻和呕吐。
• Especially when I feel seasick, I can't stand watching someone else vomiting." 尤其晕船的时候，看不得人家呕。”

6 abdominal   

adj.腹（部）的，下腹的；n.腹肌

参考例句：

• The abdominal aorta is normally smaller than the thoracic aorta.腹主动脉一般比胸主动脉小。
• Abdominal tissues sometimes adhere after an operation.手术之后腹部有时会出现粘连。

7 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。

8 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 spores   

n.（细菌、苔藓、蕨类植物）孢子( spore的名词复数 )v.（细菌、苔藓、蕨类植物）孢子( spore的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Ferns, mosses and fungi spread by means of spores. 蕨类植物、苔藓和真菌通过孢子传播蔓生。
• Spores form a lipid membrane during the process of reproducing. 孢于在生殖过程中形成类脂膜。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 预防生物武器