在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

 新增艾滋病毒感染率大幅下降

The latest report from the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS provides a vision of hope.  It shows that we are closer to the goal of an AIDS-free generation.

The number of people around the world who are newly infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has dropped dramatically - by 30 percent - over the past several years. That's according to the latest report from the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS.

根据联合国关于艾滋病毒与艾滋病项目的最新报告，世界各地新感染艾滋病毒的人口数量在最近几年已大幅下降，降幅达到30%。

Dr. Anthony Fauci at the U.S. National Institutes of Health has spent the last three decades trying to stem the pandemic.  He says the biggest reason for the decline is people are getting treated.

美国国立卫生研究院的安东尼?福奇博士，在过去的三十年中试图阻止艾滋病的大规模流行。他说，这一数据大幅下降的主要原因是人们开始接受治疗。

"We know now, that when you put someone on treatment, not only is it lifesaving for them, but it also dramatically diminishes the likelihood that they will transmit their infection to their sexual partner," said Fauci.

美国国立卫生研究院安东尼?福奇说：“现在我们知道，当你让艾滋病毒感染者接受治疗，它不仅能够挽救他们的生命，也极大地削弱了他们将病毒传染给自己的性伴侣的可能性。”

The cost of anti-AIDS drugs has dropped from $10,000 per year to about $140, money Dr. Fauci says is well spent, even for low income countries.

抗爱滋病药物的成本已经从每年1万美元跌至约140美元， 福奇博士说, 即使是对低收入国家来说,是这些钱也是用得其所。

"If you wait until they get sick, you have the cost of the medication, plus the very prohibitive cost of taking care of someone when they get sick," he said.

福奇说：“如果你等到他们生病后再采取措施，你的成本将包括药物，再加上照顾患者的高昂费用。”

Massive education campaigns have helped people change their behavior by using condoms and, for drug users, needle exchanges. These measures prevent people from exchanging blood or semen, which is how HIV commonly spreads.  Male circumcision reduces transmission and is becoming more common.

大规模的教育活动，帮助人们改变自己的行为，比如使用避孕套，以及让吸毒者更换针具。这些措施防止人们交换血液或精液，而这是艾滋病病毒传播的主要途径。男性包皮环切手术也可以减少传播，并且正在变得越来越普遍。

New infections have dropped in all age groups, but the greatest difference is seen among children.  If pregnant women receive anti-viral medicine, their risk of passing HIV to their children drops below 5 percent.

新的感染率下降已出现在所有年龄组，但对于儿童的影响最为明显。如果孕妇接受抗病毒药物，艾滋病毒传递给子女的危险性会下降到5％以下。

The result is that over the past 10 years, the number of children infected with HIV has dropped by 50 percent.

其结果是，在过去的10年中，感染艾滋病毒的儿童人数已经下降了50 ％。

World health officials talk about reaching the tipping point. Again, Dr. Fauci:

卫生组织的官员谈到要达到一个临界点。

"The tipping point is when the number of people who go on therapy is greater than the number of people who get newly infected," he said.

福奇博士解释说: “这个临界点是，当去接受治疗的人数超过新感染病毒的人数。”

Dr. Fauci estimates that for every person who gets into treatment, up to two more are newly infected.  Not all have access to the life-saving drugs, and not all people know how vulnerable they really are.

博士福奇估计，每当有一个新的感染者开始接受治疗，同时还有两个或以上新的病毒感染者。并非所有人都有接受治疗的机会，也不是所有人都知道他们的身体到底有多么的脆弱。

African Americans are a key risk group.  They make up 12 percent of the population, yet they account for more than 50 percent of new HIV infections.

非裔美国人是一个重要的风险群体。他们只占美国总人口的12％ ，但他们占新艾滋病毒感染者的50％以上。

Thirty-five million people are living with HIV.  As for an AIDS-free generation, Dr. Fauci says he would settle for another dramatic decrease over time.

目前全球大约有三千五百万人感染了艾滋病毒。为了一个没有艾滋病的下一代，福奇博士说，新增艾滋病毒感染率还需要在一段时间里继续大幅度下降。