VOA标准英语2015--Battling Ebola with Data

 

Battling Ebola with Data

The World Health Organization recently called for 900 more epidemiologists to join the battle against Ebola in West Africa. That’s triple the current number. Epidemiologists study the patterns of disease outbreaks to determine how they spread and where they may go next.

Upon hearing the WHO announcement regarding epidemiologists, Dr. Rossi Hassad said it’s about time. Hassad is an epidemiologist himself and a professor at Mercy College in New York.

“An epidemiologist is a health care professional, who is concerned with the distribution and determinants of diseases in a community. They operate at the population level, rather than the individual or clinical level. They are investigators¹ or what we called detectives of medicine. And they focus largely on intelligence – data about morbidity², mortality – meaning illness, death and symptoms,” he said.

The information they gather is used to create a geographical³ map and timeline of the outbreak. Epidemiologists, though, do not treat patients.

“So an epidemiologist will be analyzing⁴ data. Would be presenting data. Will be using various algorithms to help to explain and predict where symptoms are occurring and what we might see next. So it’s largely analytical⁵ work that an epidemiologist does,” he said.

An algorithm is used in math and computer science. It’s described as a step-by-step procedure for calculations.

Hassad said epidemiologists are a necessity in the fight against Ebola. He said there’s a saying regarding infectious diseases: “A case anywhere is a risk everywhere.”

“With Ebola a single case can reignite an epidemic⁶. And you need every contact from every case. And it’s good, old fashion epidemiology that helps us to find those contacts and properly assess them,” he said.

He said epidemiologists pay “strict attention to psychosocial and sociocultural factors and dynamics⁷.” One of the most important things they will do, he said, is set up a comprehensive surveillance system.

“We have had a huge focus on the clinical component⁸ of this epidemic. And what that does is it doesn’t interrupt the chain of transmission. So you have a steady flow of cases with a huge focus on treatment,” he said.

Besides being critical of the initial slow response to the outbreak, Hassad said there has been a lack of collaboration⁹ between the clinical and public health arms of medicine.

“At times the information and narrative¹⁰ that we have heard and seen suggested one of competition – protection of turf -- rather than collaboration and cooperation. And I hope that for 2015 and beyond we could improve on that.”

Similar complaints of a lack of cooperation and openness were heard during the earlier years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Dr. Hassad praised the current fast-tracking of Ebola research.

“Ebola has been with us for 40 years and, as we all know, the lack of action or the inaction over the years was largely because of a lack of financial or economic incentive¹¹ to move along pharmaceutical¹² research and production. Now, I think the huge threat that this epidemic poses will motivate governments to support. I think we will see that,” he said.

However, he’s not sure that an effective vaccine¹³ will be ready in time to have a major effect on the epidemic. The outbreak, however, could result in better overall healthcare for Africans.

“I do believe that the magnitude of the current epidemic will be a huge motivating factor to get projects moving along to improve the healthcare infrastructure¹⁴ of West Africa. Sustaining it will be another concern,” he said.

Dr. Hassad warned the lack of emphasis given to epidemiology in the Ebola outbreak until now could mean it will continue through most of the year.

1 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 morbidity   

n.病态；不健全；发病；发病率

参考例句：

• MC's also significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality induced by honeybee venom. 肥大细胞同样也能显著降低蜜蜂毒液诱发疾病的发病率和死亡率。 来自互联网
• The result shows that incidence of myopia morbidity is 44.84%. 结果表明：近视眼的发病率为44.84%。 来自互联网

3 geographical   

adj.地理的；地区(性)的

参考例句：

• The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。
• These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

4 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句

5 analytical   

adj.分析的；用分析法的

参考例句：

• I have an analytical approach to every survey.对每项调查我都采用分析方法。
• As a result,analytical data obtained by analysts were often in disagreement.结果各个分析家所得的分析数据常常不一致。

6 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

7 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

8 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

9 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

10 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

11 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

12 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

13 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。

14 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。