VOA标准英语2009年-Researchers Say Elderly Not Necessarily Im

By Vidushi Sinha
Washington
04 November 2009

A new report about the H1N1 flu virus indicates that the elderly are not immune from the disease afterall. And another report seems to support the early decision to make pregnant women among the first to receive flu vaccinations¹.

New research in California shows that the general perception that elderly people have some protection from H1N1 virus is only partly true. The study featured this week in The Journal of the American Medical Association says that the virus can infect anyone, including the elderly, although most had prior weakened immune systems or underlying² conditions.

 
Dr. Janice Louie 
Dr. Janice Louie led the study. She looked at more than 1,000 patients hospitalized in California from April to August of this year. "One of the most important messages of this study is that H1N1 infections can be a severe illness even if you don't necessarily have the risk factors for severe complications," she says, "even healthy people can get sick and hospitalized."

The research found that most of the elderly with the H1N1 infection needed hospitalization. And in a sample of patients between 70 and 90 years old, 20 percent died. Most required intensive care and mechanical ventilation. Another new finding tied the flu virus to weight.

"One of the unusual findings we noticed in our study and we noticed this early on and it has been observed by others actually throughout the world, is the high proportion of hospitalized cases who were obese," Dr. Louie said.

 
Pregnant women and children are among the first to receive vaccinations
Doctors early on decided³ that pregnant women and children should be among the first to receive vaccinations. And the National Institute of Health says in yet another study that the vaccine⁴ does offer good protection to pregnant women.
 
"The data show that nearly all pregnant women who received a single 15-microgram dose had a robust⁵ immune response that is likely predictive of protection," Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

The World Health Organization urges pregnant women to get vaccinated⁶ against the virus because infants and pregnant women have a higher risk of becoming very ill or even dying from the H1N1 virus.

1 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

5 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

6 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？