VOA慢速英语2013 流感病毒瓦解免疫系统的第一道防线

 

Flu Virus Disarms² Immune System's First Responders 流感病毒瓦解免疫系统的第一道防线

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。

Infection by the influenza³ virus may be more complex than scientists first thought. Researchers in the United States reported recently that the virus appears to disarm¹ the body's first line of defense⁴ against disease. 

流感病毒感染可能比科学家预想的要复杂得多。美国研究人员最近报告称，这种病毒似乎可以解除人体抵御疾病的第一道防线。

When the flu virus attacks, the body's natural defenses produce white blood cells. The cells make antibodies design to linkup to the invading microorganism, neutralize⁵ it, and in that way, prevent or at least lessen⁶ infection. The special cells also keep a memory of the invader⁷ so that the natural defenses can fight it again if the individual is re-infected. That is the traditional understanding of how the body fights the flu virus.

当流感病毒来袭时，人体的天然防线会生成白细胞，这种细胞产生各种抗体用于和入侵微生物相结合并消灭它，通过这种方式来防止或至少减轻感染。这种特殊细胞还能记住入侵者，这样人体的天然防线可以在再次感染时对付它。这是人体如何对抗流感病毒的传统认识。

Now, biologists have discovered how the virus can disarm those white blood cells, known as B cells. Hidde Ploegh led the team of researchers, he is with the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

目前，生物学家已经发现这种病毒如何瓦解这些被称为B细胞的白细胞。 Hidde Ploegh领导了这个研究团队，他就职于马萨诸塞州剑桥市的怀特黑德生物医学研究所。

Studies with genetically-bred mice suggest the flu virus enters the B cells and interferes⁸ with the production of antibodies, this can kill the cells and the body's first line of defense.

对基因繁殖小白鼠的研究显示这种流感病毒会进入B细胞并干扰抗体的生成，这样做能杀死这些细胞，瓦解人体的第一道防线。

If true, says Mr Ploegh, the process of infection may be more complex than scientists have thought.

Ploegh先生表示，如果这一点属实，感染的过程可能比科学家们想象的要更加复杂。

"And so we think that this really provides a new window on how the virus goes about its business. It may have implications in terms of explaining why certain strains of flu cause a nastier version of the disease than others," said Ploegh.

他说，“因此我们认为这提供了一个新的窗口去了解这种病毒如何运作。它可能在解释为什么某些菌株的流感引起的疾病会更加厉害方面具有一定影响。”

Normally, the frontline antibodies occupy lung cells to protect the body against future viral invasion through breathing.  

通常情况下，一线抗体占领肺细胞保护人体免受未来病毒通过呼吸入侵。

But the flu virus having disabled the antibodies, may instead target lung cells. In that way, the virus blocks the antibody's ability to remember the deadly invader, and labeling the virus to launch an attack on the body's defenses.

但使得抗体失效的这种流感病毒可能转而以肺细胞为目标。这样一来，这种病毒会阻断抗体记忆并标注它的能力，并对人体防御系统发起攻击。

"So this suggests that the initial encounter of the very type of white blood cell that we think defends us against the virus may be taken out by this initial wave of infection," said Ploegh.

他说，“这表明我们认为可以保护我们免受病毒侵扰的这种白细胞可能会被第一波感染所瓦解。”

By neutralizing⁹ an interfering¹⁰ with the body's 'front line troops', Mr Ploegh says the flu virus has more time to reproduce and establish itself in the cells, that keeps the immune system from developing a second line of defense. 

Ploegh表示，通过消除人体“一线卫士”的干扰，流感病毒有更多时间在细胞中复制繁殖，这可以防止免疫系统生成第二道防线。

A report on how influenza overcomes the body's immune system was published in the journal Nature.

一份关于流感病毒如何克服人体免疫系统的报告发表在《自然》杂志上。

1 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

2 disarms   

v.裁军( disarm的第三人称单数 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• He was that rarest of statesmen, one whose integrity disarms even his critics. 他为人正直，连批评他的人也佩服他三分，在当代政治家中实属罕见。 来自辞典例句
• Disarm: This ability now disarms ranged weapons as well. 缴械：这个技能现在同时可以缴械对方的远程武器。 来自互联网

3 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

6 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

7 invader   

n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者

参考例句：

• They suffered a lot under the invader's heel.在侵略者的铁蹄下，他们受尽了奴役。
• A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。

8 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

9 neutralizing   

v.使失效( neutralize的现在分词 )；抵消；中和；使（一个国家）中立化

参考例句：

• This juice-about a quart a day--pours into my duodenum, neutralizing acids. 这种消化液（每天约分泌1品脱）流入我的十二指肠，把酸中和了。 来自辞典例句
• AIM: To verify the role of a synthetic peptide in neutralizing endotoxins. 目的：检验一条合成肽在中和内毒素活性方面的作用。 来自互联网

10 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。