VOA慢速英語：美國官員稱我們現(xiàn)在具備消滅艾滋病的手段

US Official: We Have the Tools to End AIDS Now

美國官員稱我們現(xiàn)在具備消滅艾滋病的手段

Friday, December 1st marks the 30th World AIDS Day.

這個周五的12月1日是第三十屆世界艾滋病日。

One aim of the event is to show support for people living with HIV, the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. Another aim is to remember the people who have died from conditions related to AIDS.

該活動的目標(biāo)之一是向艾滋病毒感染者表達支持，這種病毒會引起獲得性免疫缺陷，也就是我們常說的艾滋病。另一個目標(biāo)是紀(jì)念那些死于艾滋病相關(guān)疾病的人們。

Since 1984, about 35 million people have died from HIV and AIDS-related diseases. This number makes "it one of the most destructive pandemics in history," according to the World AIDS Day website.

自1984年以來，大約有3500萬人死于艾滋病相關(guān)疾病。根據(jù)世界艾滋病日網(wǎng)站報道，這個數(shù)字使得它成為歷史上最具破壞性的流行病之一。

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, or UNAIDS, released a report before the World Day observances on Friday.

聯(lián)合國艾滋病規(guī)劃署在周五的世界艾滋病日活動前發(fā)布了一份報告。

The report noted progress in containing HIV. It said 21 million people who have the virus are getting treatment. That number is more than half of all people living with HIV.

報告指出了遏制艾滋病方面取得的進展。報告聲稱有2100萬艾滋病毒感染者正在接受治療。這一數(shù)字超過了所有艾滋病毒感染者數(shù)量的一半。

The UN's goal is to end the AIDS pandemic by 2030.

聯(lián)合國的目標(biāo)是在2030年之前消滅艾滋病這種傳染病。

American Anthony Fauci has been working in the fight against AIDS since the 1980's. At that time, an HIV infection was considered a death sentence. Now people with the virus can expect to have a normal life if they get treatment.

美國人安東尼·福奇(Anthony Fauci)從上世紀(jì)80年代起一直從事對抗艾滋病方面的工作。當(dāng)時，感染艾滋病被視為判了死刑。現(xiàn)在的感染者如果得到治療就有望過上正常的生活。

Fauci heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the United States government's National Institutes of Health. He says that we have "the ability to end the pandemic as we know it."

福奇負責(zé)美國國家衛(wèi)生研究院下屬的國家過敏和傳染病研究所。他說，我們有能力消除這種傳染病。

"What I mean is that we have extraordinarily effective drugs. But recently those drugs have been shown – over the past few years – not only to save lives of the people who take the drugs, but also to bring the level of virus in an infected person so low, below detectable level, that it makes it virtually impossible for that person to transmit the virus to someone else."

他說：“我的意思是我們有非常有效的藥物。但是最近這些藥物已經(jīng)被證實，在過去幾年里它不僅挽救了那些服用藥物者的性命，還把感染者的病毒水平降到了如此之低，低于可檢測到的水平。這使得感染者幾乎不可能將這種病毒傳染給他人。”

However, people taking medications face the same problems as anyone else who takes medicines on a daily basis.

然而，服藥者也面臨著其它每日服藥者相同的問題。

Not everyone remembers to take their medications, and doctors' prescriptions often need to be renewed.

不是每個人都記得服藥，同時醫(yī)生的處方通常需要更新。

Sixteen million people infected with HIV are not getting treatment. Many in this group do not know they have the disease, so they continue to spread the virus. Some of them are lacking in healthcare, so they don't get tested.

還有1600萬艾滋病毒感染者沒有得到治療。這群人中有很多人不知道他們患上了艾滋病，所以他們繼續(xù)在傳播病毒。其中一些人缺乏醫(yī)療保健，所以他們沒有被檢測出來。

UNAIDS reports that some 1.8 million people became infected with HIV in 2016. That estimate is 39 percent lower than the number of newly-infected people in the late 1990s.

聯(lián)合國艾滋病規(guī)劃署報告稱，2016年約有180萬人感染了艾滋病毒，比上世紀(jì)90年代末的新感染人數(shù)降低了39%。

In African countries south of the Sahara Desert, new HIV infections have fallen by 48 percent since 2000.

在撒哈拉沙漠以南的非洲國家，自2000年以來，新感染艾滋病毒者降低了48%。

However, the report notes that new HIV infections in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have risen by 60 percent since 2010. In addition, AIDS-related deaths have increased by 27 percent.

然而，該報告指出，自2010年以來，東歐和中亞國家的艾滋病新感染人數(shù)上漲了60%。此外，艾滋病相關(guān)死亡人數(shù)增加了27%。

Even with the tools we have, Fauci does not see an end to the AIDS pandemic without an HIV vaccine.

即使有了我們現(xiàn)在所擁有的治療手段，福奇也不認為沒有艾滋病疫苗就能消除艾滋病這種傳染病。

Several years ago, researchers tested an experimental AIDS vaccine in Thailand. That vaccine was 31 percent effective.

幾年前，研究人員在泰國測試了一種實驗性的艾滋病疫苗，它的有效率是31%。

By comparison, the measles vaccine protects up to 99 percent of those who get vaccinated.

相比之下，麻疹疫苗可以保護高達99%的接種人群。

Fauci told VOA he is not sure if scientists can develop an AIDS vaccine that would be as effective. But he adds that even a vaccine with 50 or 60 percent effectiveness combined with other measures "could turn around the trajectory of the epidemic and essentially end it as we know it."

福奇對美國之音表示，他不確定科學(xué)家是否能夠開發(fā)出一種同樣這么有效的艾滋病疫苗。但他補充說，即使疫苗有效率只有50%或60%，但是結(jié)合其它措施，也能扭轉(zhuǎn)疫情的發(fā)展軌跡并基本消滅它。

Another vaccine trial is taking place in South Africa. The results will not be available until 2019 at the earliest, and there is no way of telling if that vaccine will be good enough to help end AIDS.

另一項疫苗試驗正在南非進行，結(jié)果最早要到2019年才能出來，并且沒有辦法證實這種疫苗是否足以幫助消滅艾滋病。

For now, testing, anti-AIDS drugs, and changes in behavior are three tools to limit the spread of AIDS, according to UNAIDS.

根據(jù)聯(lián)合國規(guī)劃署的報道，目前而言，檢測、抗艾滋病藥物以及改變行為是限制艾滋病傳播的三種手段。

Behavioral change includes limiting the number of sexual partners, using clean needles and syringes, and using condoms during sexual activity.

行為改變包括限制性伴侶數(shù)量，使用清潔的針頭和注射器，以及在性行為中使用安全套。

Both Fauci and UNAIDS say ending AIDS is up to the world community – and how much effort and money it is willing to use toward the goal.

福奇和聯(lián)合國艾滋病規(guī)劃署都表示， 消除艾滋病取決于國際社會以及他們愿意為實現(xiàn)這一目標(biāo)付出多少努力和金錢。

I'm John Russell.

約翰·羅素報道。