VOA标准英语2012--Common Infection Raises Female to Male HIV Risk

 

Common Infection Raises Female to Male HIV Risk

A common bacterial¹ infection among women in sub-Saharan Africa sharply increases the risk of HIV transmission to men. Researchers say current treatments provide only a short-term solution.

It’s long been known that bacterial vaginosis, or BV, increases a woman’s risk of getting HIV. Now, research shows an HIV positive women, who also has the bacterial infection, has a three-fold greater risk of transmitting the AIDS virus to her male partner.

“BV is a condition where the normal vaginal flora², which is predominately Lactobacilli, get replaced by abnormal vaginal flora, predominantly anaerobic³ bacteria. There’s a large number of species that are associated with BV. It’s not a single bacteria that causes BV, but it’s multiple numbers of these abnormal vaginal flora that replace normal vaginal flora,” said Dr. Craig Cohen, lead author of the story.

Cohen is professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California at San Francisco. He said women can be infected and not know it.

“Most women are asymptomatic. The most common symptom among those who do have symptoms is abnormal vaginal discharge, usually an increased vaginal discharge. Some women will complain of a smell or odor, especially after intercourse,” he said.

Despite the infection being so common in women, the cause still hasn’t been pinpointed⁴.

“That we don’t know,” said Cohen, “and that’s one of the calls in the papers that we really need additional research. We know risk factors for BV, there are many, but we don’t know what actually causes it. It’s so common in Africa, for example, where in some populations between one-third and 50 percent of women live with this. It really beckons⁵ the question of what’s normal.”

There are a number of theories and hypotheses as to the cause. One is that the bacteria are transmitted to the man and cause inflammation, making him more susceptible⁶ to HIV transmission.

Cohen said there are treatments for bacterial vaginosis, but the effects don’t last very long.

“While they will reduce the symptoms in about 70 to 80 percent of women using metronidazole-- or otherwise known as Flagyl either orally or topically – within a 3 to 6 month period of time about 60 to 70 percent of women will actually have a recurrence⁷ of BV,” he said

Cohen and his fellow researchers said new treatments need to be developed. These include more effective drugs and possible use of probiotics or bacteria considered beneficial to people.

The study was published in the June 26 issue of PLos Medicine and was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

1 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。

2 flora   

n.(某一地区的)植物群

参考例句：

• The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。
• All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。

3 anaerobic   

adj.厌氧的

参考例句：

• Anaerobic respiration occurs only in particularly active tissues such as muscles during severe exercise. 厌氧呼吸只有在处于剧烈运动状态的肌肉等特别活跃的组织中才会发生。
• Infection,especially anaerobic infection, is much more apt to occur.感染，特别是厌氧感染很容易发生。

4 pinpointed   

准确地找出或描述( pinpoint的过去式和过去分词 )； 为…准确定位

参考例句：

• His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice. 他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。
• Computers pinpointed where the shells were coming from. 计算机确定了炮弹发射的位置。

5 beckons   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He sent his ships wherever profit beckons. 他将船队派往赢利的那些地方。 来自辞典例句
• I believe history beckons again. 我认为现在历史又在召唤了。 来自辞典例句

6 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

7 recurrence   

n.复发，反复，重现

参考例句：

• More care in the future will prevent recurrence of the mistake.将来的小心可防止错误的重现。
• He was aware of the possibility of a recurrence of his illness.他知道他的病有可能复发。