VOA标准英语2013--补充维生素和矿物质放缓艾滋发展

 

Researcher: Vitamins and Mineral Supplements Slow Progression of HIV 补充维生素和矿物质放缓艾滋发展

WASHINGTON — Patients with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, often develop vitamin deficiencies.  A new study has found that giving these patients a multivitamin with  a mineral supplement helps improve their immunity¹ and slows the disease's progression. 

Sub-Saharan Africa has always been the center of the AIDS epidemic². In Botswana, despite aggressive prevention campaigns, one out of every four adults is infected with  HIV. Professor Marianna Baum based her latest research there. Baum recruited almost 900 newly infected adults who had not yet received the anti-AIDS drugs that target  the virus.

These adults were then divided into groups that randomly³ received different combinations of vitamins B, C and E, the mineral selenium or a placebo⁴.

Most patients with HIV become deficient⁵ in these vitamins, which help boost immunity. Baum said she initially⁶ thought the multivitamins alone or selenium alone would  be effective in strengthening the immune system, but found that to be incorrect.

“We were surprised to find that only the combination was effective,” said Baum.

Research shows that when people with HIV receive anti-retroviral drugs shortly after infection, they can remain healthy and are less likely to pass the virus to their  sex partners. For many countries, however, the cost of these anti-AIDS drugs is still prohibitive. Baum said the vitamin and mineral combination therapy should help  low income countries better control the virus.

“A simple multivitamin supplementation with selenium provided early in HIV disease can actually slow the HIV disease progression and it is safe. It is low cost and it  should be provided very early in HIV infection,” said Baum.

Baum said the supplements are not meant to replace anti-retroviral therapy, but can help those who cannot obtain the drugs.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, a world renowned⁷ expert on AIDS, disagrees.

"I haven’t read the paper, but having taken care of HIV-infected individuals for three decades, I would doubt that vitamins are going to have a major effect on  suppressing the virus," said Fauci.

Fauci said vitamin and mineral supplements may make a patient generally healthier, but the only thing that truly works to suppress HIV is anti-retroviral therapy.    Baum's study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  

1 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

2 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

3 randomly   

adv.随便地，未加计划地

参考例句：

• Within the hot gas chamber, molecules are moving randomly in all directions. 在灼热的气体燃烧室内，分子在各个方向上作无规运动。 来自辞典例句
• Transformed cells are loosely attached, rounded and randomly oriented. 转化细胞则不大贴壁、圆缩并呈杂乱分布。 来自辞典例句

4 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

5 deficient   

adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的

参考例句：

• The crops are suffering from deficient rain.庄稼因雨量不足而遭受损害。
• I always have been deficient in selfconfidence and decision.我向来缺乏自信和果断。

6 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

7 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。