翻译研讨——2009/12/16健康报道：研究发现治愈成人镰状细胞贫血病的疗法

HEALTH REPORT - Study Finds Treatment Cured Sickle Cell in 9 Adults

健康报道：研究发现治愈成人镰状细胞贫血病的疗法

This is the VOA special English health report.

这是 VOA 特别英语，健康报道 .

Last week, researchers in the United States reported curing nine adults with sickle cell disease. Ten patients in all were treated in a study with donated bone marrow. The healthy marrow causes new blood cells to form.

据报道，上周在美国研究人员治愈了九名患有镰状细胞（贫血）病的成年人。在一项研究中，总共有十位病人接受了捐赠骨髓的治疗。健康的骨髓可促使新的血细胞的形成。

Sickle cell disease, also called sickle cell anemia, is a genetic condition that deforms red blood cells. They become sticky and harden into the shape of the letter C, like a sickle, a hand tool with a curved blade.

镰状细胞（贫血）病又称镰状细胞血症，是一种可以使红血球变形的遗传症状。红血球会变得粘稠，并且硬化成字母 C 的形状，像一种有弯曲刀片的手持工具，镰刀。

The deformed cells block blood vessels and cut off the flow of oxygen to tissue in the body. People with sickle cell disease can suffer severe pain, bacterial infections and the death of tissue.

变形后的红血球会堵塞血管，切断了向身体内组织的供氧。患有镰状细胞（贫血）病的人将经受巨痛、细菌感染和组织坏死。

In other studies, bone marrow transplants cure severe sickle cell disease in almost two hundred children. Doctors first used chemicals to destroy the children's own marrow, then replaced it with health marrow.

在其他研究中，骨髓移植治愈了差不多两百名患有严重镰状细胞（贫血）病的孩子。医生先用化学药品破坏孩子自有的骨髓，然后用健康的骨髓代替（它）。

However, doctors have considered this treatment too risky for adults with the disease. Their major organs are already too damaged to have all their bone marrow destroyed.

然而，医生们认为这种疗法对患有该病的成人太危险。为了使他们所有的骨髓受到破坏，他们主要的器官已经受到了太大的损坏。

So for the ten patients in the study, doctors used a low amount of radiation to destroy only some of their marrow. Then the patients received health marrow. There was enough space in the bone for the health marrow to start producing new red blood cells.

因此，为了这十位被研究的病人，医生用了少量的放射物，仅仅破坏了他们的一部分骨髓。在骨骼中有足够的空间让健康的骨髓生产新的红血球。

The researchers say all ten patients remain alive two and a half years after the treatment, and the disease has disappeared in nine of them.

研究人员称这十位病人在接受治疗后又存活了两年半。其中的九位痊愈了。

Marrow is a soft, spongy tissue inside bone. Doctors can collect it with a needle. But people who donate marrow must first have tests to make sure they are a good match for the patient.

骨髓是骨骼中一种柔软的、海绵状的组织。医生可以用针把它收集起来。但捐赠骨髓的人先必须接受测试以确保他们的骨髓与病人是很好匹配的。

The New England journal of medicine published the study. John Tisdale at the national institutes of health was the lead investigator. He says other uses for the treatment are also likely to be found.

新英格兰医学杂志发表了这项研究。在国家健康协会的 John Tisdale 是主要研究人。他是疗法的其他用途有可能会找到。

Black people in Africa are the huge majority of those with sickle cell disease. About two hundred thousand cases are found in African children every year. About eighty thousand people have it in the United States.

非洲的黑人是患有镰状细胞（贫血）病的巨大群体。每年在非洲的小孩中大约发现有 20 万的病例。而在美国大约有 8 万人患有该病。

A study published in September in the Lancet said antibacterial vaccines could save the lives of children with sickle cell in Africa. The study pointed out that many children died before they are even identified as having the disease. They die from bacterial infections for which there are new vaccines. But these vaccines are costly and available mainly in wealthy countries.

九月份发表在 LANCET 上的一项研究称抗菌疫苗能够挽救非洲患有镰状细胞（贫血）病的儿童。该研究指出许多儿童早在被诊断出患有该病前就死了。他们死于细菌感染，预防该感染有新的疫苗。但是这些疫苗昂贵，主要只有在富裕国家才用得起。

And that's the VOA special English health report. Written by Caty Weaver. For more health news, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

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 该帖于2009年12月20日被版主推荐为精华帖。