VOA慢速英語：科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)埃博拉病毒的治療辦法

Scientists Discover Cure for Ebola Virus

科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)埃博拉病毒的治療辦法

Scientists say they have discovered a possible cure for all five known Ebola viruses. Antibodies that are used in the cure were discovered in the blood of a survivor.

科學(xué)家說，他們已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)了一種可能治愈所有5種已知埃博拉病毒的治療辦法。治療中用到的抗體是在幸存者中的血液中發(fā)現(xiàn)的。

Kartik Chandran of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine helped discover the antibodies. They are described online in the journal Cell.

愛因斯坦醫(yī)學(xué)院的卡蒂克·錢德蘭(Kartik Chandran)幫助發(fā)現(xiàn)了了這種抗體，并將這一結(jié)果發(fā)布在了《細胞》雜志網(wǎng)絡(luò)版上。

Chandran says studies of the antibody in non-human primates have shown positive results. He says he is optimistic that the antibodies can be used to protect and treat people, too.

錢德蘭表示，這種抗體在對非靈長類動物的研究中已經(jīng)顯示出積極結(jié)果。他說，他對這種抗體可用于保護和治療人類持樂觀態(tài)度。

A challenging history

富有挑戰(zhàn)性的歷史

The virus was given the name Ebola because the first recorded outbreak of the disease took place along the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo -- then known as Zaire -- in 1976.

這種病毒被命名為埃博拉病毒，是因為這種疾病首次有記錄的爆發(fā)發(fā)生在1976年剛果民主共和國(當(dāng)時該國被稱之為扎伊爾)的埃博拉河沿岸。

Since then, there have been about 24 Ebola outbreaks in Africa, including one happening now in the DRC. Nine people have been infected and three people have died.

此后非洲爆發(fā)了大約24次埃博拉疫情，其中包括剛果民主共和國目前正在發(fā)生的這次，有9人受到感染，3人死亡。

The most recent Ebola epidemic took place from 2013 to 2016. It killed more than 11,000 people and infected 29,000 in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

最近一次埃博拉疫情大爆發(fā)發(fā)生在2013年到2016年。這次大爆發(fā)導(dǎo)致在利比里亞、幾內(nèi)亞和塞拉利昂有2.9萬人感染，并且有1.1萬人死亡。

During that epidemic, researchers were studying an anti-Ebola drug called Zmapp. Doctors began using it even before the study was complete.

在這場大爆發(fā)中，研究人員開始研究一種名為Zmapp的抗埃博拉藥物。醫(yī)生們甚至在研究完成前就開始使用這種藥物。

Zmapp uses antibodies discovered in mice. They use the body's natural immune system to fight infection. If the drug is given within five days after Ebola infection symptoms appear, it can cure the disease.

Zmapp使用了老鼠體內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)的抗體，它們利用身體自然免疫系統(tǒng)來抵抗感染。如果在埃博拉病毒感染癥狀出現(xiàn)5天內(nèi)使用這種藥物，就能治愈這種疾病。

Promising results

充滿希望的結(jié)果

But researcher Kartik Chandran says Zmapp is effective only against Ebola Zaire. It does not fight the other four known Ebola viruses.

但是研究人員錢德蘭表示，Zmapp只對扎伊爾埃博拉病毒有效，無法對抗其它4種已知的埃博拉病毒。

Chandran says the recently discovered human antibodies attack and destroy all five of the viruses. Researchers say the antibodies work by interfering with a process that the disease uses to infect and multiply inside cells.

錢德蘭表示，最近發(fā)現(xiàn)的這種人類抗體能攻擊和摧毀所有這5種病毒。研究人員表示，這種抗體通過干擾該疾病用于感染和細胞內(nèi)繁殖的過程而起到效果。

Chandran says scientists discovered the antibodies in just six months.

錢德蘭表示，科學(xué)家在短短六個月內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)了這些抗體。

The drug company Mapp Pharmaceutical Incorporated is now testing the antibodies in monkeys that have been exposed to Ebola. Spokespeople for the company say the antibodies have so far been safe and effective.

Mapp制藥公司目前正在對已經(jīng)暴露于埃博拉病毒的猴子測試這種抗體。該公司發(fā)言人表示，截至目前這種抗體是安全有效的。

Chandran says he hopes the antibodies can also be tested in people soon. And, he says, he hopes they can ultimately be used both as a treatment and as a vaccine to prevent people from getting Ebola in the first place.

錢德蘭表示，他希望這種抗體可以很快進行人類測試。他還表示希望它們最終可以被用于治療，并成為預(yù)防人類感染埃博拉病毒的首個疫苗。

I'm Anne Ball.

安妮·波爾報道。