-
-12 1
Ebola Follow-Up
A clinical trial of a promising Ebola vaccine started in the west African country of Mali. Mali is close to the border of Guinea, the epicenter of the deadly epidemic that now has killed 4,000 people. The experimental vaccine was given to three health workers who volunteered to determine if the vaccine is safe and effective since health workers are on the front line and run the highest risk of being infected.
The researchers would test blood samples of the volunteers to make sure there is an antibody response, the signal that the vaccine may teach the immune system to recognize the virus and fight it off. The vaccine, developed by researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and British drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, was 100 percent effective in protecting monkeys against lethal exposure to Ebola in pre-clinical trials.
Ebola is passed through bodily fluids. That is why health care workers must be shielded head to toe in protective clothing as they care for patients. If proper protocols were followed around the world, health care providers who work with Ebola patients would be safer. Like other disasters, the Ebola virus outbreak is creating huge needs. There is an immediate demand for medical care and education, as well as long-term help dealing with the ripple effects such as orphans and stabilizing an already troubled economy. For those who want to help, experts said donating money to legitimate organizations and charities are the best option.
伊波拉後續報導
一個被高度期待的伊波拉疫苗臨床測試在西非小國馬利展開。馬利位於幾內亞邊境,而幾內亞是目前造成四千人病故的致命傳染病疫情中心。由於醫護人員在第一線面對患者,屬於感染病毒的高危險群,因此這株實驗性的疫苗已注射在三名自願的醫護人員身上,以協助判定此疫苗是否安全有效。
研究人員會測試自願者的血液樣本以確認是否有抗體反應,因為抗體反應是疫苗引導免疫系統辨認並且對抗病毒的訊息。此疫苗由美國國家衛生研究院和英國製藥廠葛蘭素史克的研究員共同研發,在臨床前測試時,能百分之百有效地使暴露於致命環境中的猴子免於伊波拉的侵襲。
伊波拉病毒是經由體液傳染,這也就是為什麼醫護人員必須在照顧病患時,從頭到腳穿戴好防護衣。如果完善的防護程序在全世界普遍落實,那麼照料伊波拉患者的護理人員將更為安全。如同其他的災難,伊波拉疫情的爆發造成了龐大的需求。不僅有即刻的醫療照護和教育需求,還有後續的漣漪效應需要長期幫助,例如孤兒問題和穩定原本就陷入困境的經濟。專家建議,捐款至合法的機構和慈善組織是任何願意出一己之力幫助他人的最佳選擇。
《Vocabulary》
1. clinical adj. 臨床的
2. epicenter n. 集中點
3. epidemic n. 傳染病
4. determine v. 判定;決定
5. antibody n. 抗體
6. immune adj. 免疫的
7. shield v. 保護;庇護
8. protocol n. 程序;議定書
9. ripple n. 漣漪
10. legitimate adj. 合法的
- 評論(0)
發表評論 TrackBack
◎歡迎參與討論,請在這裡發表您的看法、交流您的觀點。