HEALTH REPORT - Post Polio Syndrome

HEALTH REPORT - Post Polio Syndrome¹
By Karen Leggett

Broadcast: Wednesday, April 14, 2004

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Polio is a disease² of the muscles³ and the nervous system. It is caused by a virus⁴ and spreads through human waste. Health workers believe they may soon be able to end polio forever. The key to ending polio is preventing the disease in children.

There are many cases of polio in only six countries. They are Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Niger, Nigeria and Pakistan. Health ministers in these countries have agreed to immunize two-hundred-fifty-million children against polio this year. To be immunized against polio, children must swallow a few drops of medicine several times while they are still young.

Polio can cause people to lose the ability to move their arms or legs or even to breathe. Some people die. But many people recover and become healthy again.

The World Health Organization estimates⁵ that there are about twenty-million people around the world who are survivors⁷ of polio. One polio survivor⁶ in Ghana wrote to VOA to say he is now a very good football player.

But W-H-O health workers say polio survivors need to understand a condition called "post polio syndrome." Between fifteen and forty years after a person has polio, new problems may appear. These problems may include being very tired and having weak or painful muscles. A person may have trouble sleeping, breathing or doing normal activities.

There is no way to cure post polio syndrome. People who have these problems may need to be less active. They may need to use special equipment like a stick for walking or do special exercises to make their muscles stronger. They should stop any activity that causes pain or tiredness after ten minutes.

There is no medicine to help these conditions. Some polio survivors may be taking medicines for other problems. Sometimes those other medicines may also cause people to become tired or weak. Polio survivors should always talk to a health care worker or doctor before starting or stopping any medicine that might increase their chances of getting post polio syndrome.

Experts say the best way to prevent post polio syndrome is to stay healthy. This means⁸ eating healthy food, not becoming too fat, not smoking⁹ and not drinking too many alcoholic¹⁰ drinks.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Karen Leggett.

1 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

2 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

3 muscles   

n.肌肉( muscle的名词复数 )；（操纵他人的）力量；权力；肌肉组织

参考例句：

• I must take some exercise and loosen up my muscles. 我必须活动活动使肌肉放松些。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gosh! My muscles is going to ache all over tomorrow. 哎呀！明天我全身肌肉都会痛了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 virus   

n.病毒，滤过性微生物，毒害，恶毒；（一个能够复制、感染其他程序或破坏操作系统的程序）

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a virus infection.他受到病毒感染。
• There is a virus going round the world.世界上流行着一种病毒性疾病。

5 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 survivor   

n.生存者，残存者，幸存者

参考例句：

• The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
• There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。

7 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

8 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

9 smoking   

n.吸烟，抽烟；冒烟

参考例句：

• He was wise to give up smoking.他戒烟是明智的。
• He has decided to cut out smoking and drinking.他已决心戒烟、戒酒。

10 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。