Diseases Spread by Mosquitoes

87 蚊子传播疾病导致每年数百万人死亡

DATE=8-28-01
TITLE=SCIENCE IN THE NEWS #2139 - Diseases² Spread by Mosquitoes
BYLINE=Nancy Steinbach

VOICE ONE:
This is Sarah Long.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Bob Doughty³ with Science in the News, a VOA Special English program about recent developments in Science.  Today we tell about diseases spread by mosquitoes, the most widely hated insects in the world. 
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
(1)Mosquitoes are very small winged (2)insects. There are more than two-thousand different kinds of mosquitoes.  Female⁴ mosquitoes bite people to drink their blood. Male mosquitoes do not drink blood.  They drink fluids⁵ from plants.
The (3)female mosquito uses its long thin (4)sucking (5)tube to break the skin and find a blood (6)vessel.  The insect (7)injects the (8)victim with a substance that keeps blood flowing.  This substance makes the skin around a mosquito bite uncomfortable for several days.  The female mosquito drinks the blood and uses it to produce eggs.
One meal gives a female mosquito enough blood to produce as many as two-hundred-fifty eggs.  The mosquito lays them in any standing⁶ water. This includes small (9)containers near peoples' houses. 
VOICE TWO:
The eggs produce worm-like creatures in two days to a few months.  However, some mosquito eggs can stay in water for years until the conditions are right for (10)hatching.  The worm-like (11)creatures feed on organisms⁷ in the water. After four to ten days, they change again, into creatures called (12)pupas. The pupas rise to the top of the water. The adult mosquitoes pull themselves out of the pupas and fly away.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE ONE:
The World Health Organization says mosquitoes cause disease¹ and death for millions of people throughout the world. That is because when they bite a person, mosquitoes can also inject organisms that cause disease. Mosquitoes are not affected⁸ by the disease.
The most important disease spread by mosquitoes is malaria⁹.  As many as five-hundred-million people suffer (13)malaria each year.  About two-million people die from the disease each year.  The disease is found in South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. 
Malaria (14)parasites¹⁰ enter a person's blood through the mosquito bite.  The parasites travel to the (15)liver. They grow and divide there. After a week or two, the parasites invade¹¹ red blood cells and reproduce¹² thousands of times.  They cause severe fevers and may (16)destroy major organs.  People with malaria may suffer kidney¹³ failure or the loss of red blood cells. 
Some drugs are generally effective in preventing and treating malaria.  They are designed to prevent the parasites from developing in the body. The most commonly used malaria prevention drugs are (17)chloroquine, mefloquine and (18)doxycycline. People die from malaria because they are not treated for the disease or the treatment is delayed.  International health organizations are increasing efforts to reduce the number of deaths from malaria.
VOICE TWO:
Dengue fever is another disease that is carried by mosquitoes.  The insects can survive in new and different environments.  They can spread diseases to new areas. For example, experts say only nine countries had dengue fever until Nineteen-Seventy.  Since then, people in more than twenty-nine countries in Asia and the (19)Caribbean have developed the disease. 
The World Health Organization says about fifty-million people around the world suffer from (20)dengue fever each year.  There is no cure. Children may develop a kind of the disease that is not serious.  Their skin may become covered with red (21)spots and they may have a high body temperature. 
Older people suffer from the disease much more.  They may develop red spots on their skin.  They also may have terrible headaches.  They may lose their sense of (22)taste.  And they may experience pain behind their eyes and in (23)joints such as the elbow or knee. This kind of joint¹⁴ pain is the reason why dengue fever is sometimes known as (24)breakbone fever.
The most (25)severe kind of the disease is called dengue (26)hemorrhagic fever.  People who have this disease bleed from body openings such as the nose. The disease kills about five percent of all people who get it.  The only treatment involves controlling the (27)bleeding and replacing lost body (28)fluids.
VOICE ONE:
Another disease carried by mosquitoes is yellow fever. There are no effective drugs against the disease.  Doctors can only hope that a person's defense¹⁵ system is strong enough to fight the infection.  World Health Organization officials say about two-hundred-thousand people suffer from yellow fever each year.  It is found mainly in Africa, the Caribbean and South America.
The disease is caused by a virus.  A few days after a mosquito bite, the victim experiences high body temperature, muscle pain, headache, (29)nausea and (30)vomiting.  Most patients improve after three to four days. 
However, fifteen percent of patients develop a more serious condition.  Fever re-appears and the body appears yellow in color.  The victim bleeds from the nose, mouth, eyes or stomach.  Half the people suffering this more serious condition die within ten to fourteen days.
A (31)vaccine¹⁶ medicine can prevent yellow fever.  Medical experts say the vaccine is safe and very effective.  The protection continues for at least ten years and possibly for life.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
Mosquitoes also carry the disease lymphatic (32)filariasis, commonly known as (33)elephantiasis.  The disease affects more than one-hundred-twenty-million people in more than eighty countries. These include countries in South Asia, Africa, South America and the Pacific Islands. Mosquito bites spread the worms that cause elephantiasis.  People usually begin to develop the disease as children.  Many children never experience signs of the disease.  But the disease may cause hidden damage to the (34)lymphatic system and (35)kidneys.  
The worst signs of the disease appear in adults. The signs are more common in men than in women. These include swelling¹⁷ of the arms, legs, and (36)genital area. Two drugs are effective in treating the disease. Experts say that keeping the affected areas clean can decrease the swelling and reduce the number of times that swelling takes place. 
VOICE ONE:
Still another disease carried by mosquitoes is encephalitis.  It is an infection or swelling of the brain.  Many different (37)viruses cause different kinds of the disease.  One virus lives naturally in birds and horses. Mosquitoes spread it to people. Mosquitoes in several Asian countries spread a kind of (38)encephalitis known as Japanese encephalitis.  A vaccine medicine can prevent this sickness.    
Other kinds include West Nile encephalitis, Saint¹⁸ Louis encephalitis and eastern equine encephalitis.  Most healthy people infected with the virus show no signs.  Or they become only slightly sick for a day or two.  But those with a weak defense system may develop a severe infection.  They may suffer from high body temperature, headache, shaking and even death.
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
Experts have learned¹⁹ many things about mosquitoes.  For example, the insects can smell carbon (39)dioxide in the breath of a person or animal from as far away as sixty meters. Mosquitoes often like the blood of animals better than the blood of people.  Mosquitoes like dark colors.  They do not bite women who are having their monthly²⁰ period of bleeding. But they do bite (40)pregnant women. Many kinds of mosquitoes are most active in the early morning and evening hours.  They eat mostly at night.
VOICE ONE:
Medical experts say the best way to prevent the diseases carried by mosquitoes is not to be bitten by one. There are several ways to prevent mosquito bites.  Do not permit standing water anywhere around the house. 
Remove all containers that could provide a place for mosquitoes to live.  Stay indoors²¹ when mosquitoes are most active.  Wear clothes that cover most of the body. 
Other ways to prevent mosquito bites are to put anti-insect chemicals on the skin, clothing and sleeping areas.  And place special nets treated with insect poison on window screens and over the bed at night.  Another way is to build a house for flying animals called bats on your property.  Bats eat thousands of mosquitoes each night.
(THEME))
VOICE TWO:
This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Nancy Steinbach.  It was produced by George Grow. This is Bob Doughty.
VOICE ONE:
And this is Sarah Long.  Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

 

(1)  mosquito[ mEs5ki:tEu ]n.蚊子
(2)  insect[ 5insekt ]n.昆虫, 卑鄙的人adj..虫的, 虫子一样的, 对付虫子的
(3) female[ 5fi:meil ]n.女性, 女人, 雌兽adj.女性的, 女子的, 妇女的, 雌的, 柔弱的, (声, 色)柔和的
(4) suck[ sQk ]v.吸, 吮, 吸取
(5)  tube[ 5tju:b ]n.管, 管子, [英] 地铁, <美> 电子管, 显象管
(6)  vessel[ 5vesl ]n.船, 容器, 器皿, 脉管, 导管
(7) inject[ in5dVekt ]vt.注射, 注入
(8) victim[ 5viktim ]n.受害人, 牺牲者, 牺牲品
(9) container[ kEn5teinE ]n.容器(箱,盆,罐,壶,桶,坛子), 集装箱
(10) hatch[ hAtF ]n.孵化, 舱口,(门、墙壁、地板上的), 策划, 图谋,vi.孵化
(11) creature[ 5kri:tFE ]n.人, 动物, 傀儡, 创造物
(12) pupa[ 5pju:pE ]n.[昆]蛹
(13) malaria[ mE5lZEriE ]n.疟疾, 瘴气
(14) parasite[ 5pArEsait ]n.寄生虫, 食客
(15) liver[ 5livE ]n.居住者，生活优裕的人，肝脏
(16) destroy[ dis5trCi ]vt.破坏, 毁坏, 消灭v.消灭, 摧毁
(17) hloroquine[ 7klC(:)rE5kwi:n ]n.疟疾的特效药之一种, 氯喹
(18) doxycycline[ dCksi5saiklin ]n.[微]强力霉素
(19) Caribbean[ kAri5bi(:)En ]n.加勒比海
(20) dengue[ 5deN^ei ]n.[医] 登革热(一种热带传染病,骨关节及肌肉奇痛)
(21) spot[ spCt ]n.班点, 污点, 地点, 场所, 现场v.沾污, 弄脏, 侦察vt.认出, 发现
(22) taste[ teist ]v.品尝, 辨味, (of)有 ...味道, 领略vt.体验, 感到n.味道, 味觉
(23) joint[ dVCint ]n.接缝, 接合处, 接合点, 关节, (牛、羊等的腿)大块肉adj.共同的, 联合的, 连接的, 合办的vt.连接, 接合, 使有接头vi.贴合, 生节
(24) breakbone  [`breIkbEJn]n.[医] 登革热(一种热带传染病,骨关节及肌肉奇痛
(25) severe[ si5viE ]adj.严厉的, 严格的, 剧烈的, 严重的, 严峻的
(26) hemorrhagic fever 出血热bleed[ bli:d ]v.使出血, 放血
(27) bleed[ bli:d ]v.使出血, 放血
(28) fluid[ 5flu(:)id ]n.流动性, 流度adj.流动的, 不固定的, 可改变的, 可另派用场的, 流畅的
(29) nausea[ 5nC:sjE ]n.反胃, 晕船, 恶心, 作呕, 极度的不快
(30) vomity[ `vCmItI ]adj.<美>有(或散发出)呕吐物气味的vaccine[ 5vAksi:n ]adj.疫苗的, 牛痘的n.疫苗
(31) vaccine[ 5vAksi:n ]adj.疫苗的, 牛痘的n.疫苗
(32) filariasis[ 7filE5raiEsis ]n.丝虫病, 带丝虫的, 丝虫引起的
(33) elephantiasis[ 7elifEn5taiEsis ]n.[医]象皮病
(34) lymphatic[ lim5fAtik ]adj.含淋巴的, 淋巴腺的
(35) kidney[ 5kidni ]n.肾, (动物可食用的)腰子, 个性, 性格
(36) genital[ 5dVenitl ]adj.生殖的n.生殖器(多用于指男性的外生殖器)
(37) virus[ 5vaiErEs ]n.[微]病毒, 滤过性微生物, 毒害, 恶毒
(38) encephalitis[ en7sefE5laitis ]n.脑炎
(39) dioxide[ dai5Cksaid ]n.二氧化物
(40) pregnant[ 5pre^nEnt ]adj.怀孕的, 重要的, 富有意义的, 孕育的

1 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。

2 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

3 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

4 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

5 fluids   

n.液体，流体( fluid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He is taking cold fluids. 他正在喝冷饮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• You can contract Aids if your bodily fluids come into contact with the bodily fluids of someone else who is infected with HIV. 如果你的体液与染有HIV者的体液接触，你就会染上艾滋病。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 organisms   

n.有机物( organism的名词复数 )；有机体；生物；有机体系

参考例句：

• The organisms can be divided into discrete categories. 有机体可分为许多互不相联的种类。
• The cell is the unit of which all living organisms are composed. 细胞是构成一切生物的单位。

8 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

9 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

10 parasites   

寄生物( parasite的名词复数 )； 靠他人为生的人； 诸虫

参考例句：

• These symptoms may be referable to virus infection rather than parasites. 这些症状也许是由病毒感染引起的，而与寄生虫无关。
• Kangaroos harbor a vast range of parasites. 袋鼠身上有各种各样的寄生虫。

11 invade   

v.侵略，侵犯；闯入，侵扰

参考例句：

• I don't want to invade your private life unnecessarily.我不想过多地干涉你的私生活。
• He ordered the army to invade at dawn.他命令军队在拂晓入侵。

12 reproduce   

v.生育，繁殖，复制，重做

参考例句：

• The machine can reproduce a key in two minutes.这机器能在两分钟内复制一把钥匙。
• The picture will reproduce well.这照片会印得很清楚。

13 kidney   

n.肾，腰子，类型

参考例句：

• Several of the patients had received kidney transplant.病人中有几位已接受了肾移植手术。
• The operation to transplant a kidney is now fairly routine.肾脏移植手术如今已相当常见。

14 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

15 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。

16 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。

17 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

18 saint   

n.圣徒；基督教徒；vt.成为圣徒，把...视为圣徒

参考例句：

• He was made a saint.他被封为圣人。
• The saint had a lowly heart.圣人有谦诚之心。

19 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

20 monthly   

adj.每月的，持续一个月的，每月发生的；adv.每月，按月； n.月刊；(复数）monthlies:月经

参考例句：

• The rent on his apartment was his biggest monthly expense.他的房租是每个月最大的开支。
• The monthly rent is $15,inclusive of light and water.每月租金15美元，包括水电费在内。

21 indoors   

adv.(在)室内，(在)户内

参考例句：

• Because of the coldness of the weather we stayed indoors.我们因天气寒冷呆在家里。
• It is very cold outside,you'd better come indoors across the board.外面很冷，你们所有人最好都进屋。