疾病跨境感染非洲牲畜

Diseases Jump Borders to Infect African Livestock 1 疾病跨境感染非洲牲畜

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is urging farmers to be on guard against transboundary animal diseases. Officials warn that ticks, lice and other pests can spread quickly from one country to the next.

联合国粮农组织督促农民警惕跨境动物疾病。官员警告说，蜱，虱等害虫可以迅速从一个国家传播到另一个国家。

Experts from across Africa say trans-border diseases kill between 10 and 20 percent of the continent’s animals every year. The experts gathered in Cameroon last month to discuss the problem. They suggested large vaccination 2 and pest eradication 3 programs to stop the spread of the diseases.

非洲各地的专家表示，跨境疾病每年导致非洲大陆10%到20%的动物死亡。专家们上个月聚集在喀麦隆讨论这个问题。他们建议采用大规模接种和有害生物根除计划来阻止疾病的传播。

Dr. Taiga is Cameroon’s livestock minister. He does not use a first name. He says pests like nose bot flies and wool maggots are harming animals in some communities in his country.

塔伊加（Taiga）博士是喀麦隆畜牧部部长。他没有姓氏。他说，像马鼻蝇和肉蝇蛆正在危害喀麦隆一些社区的动物。

Dr. Taiga says all animals in an area must be killed if one animal is affected 4 because the diseases are contagious 5. They spread quickly from animal to animal. He says that is why the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health are working together to destroy the diseases. He says that when central African countries succeed in killing 6 the pests, their human populations will enjoy better quality protein.

塔伊加博士表示，如果有动物感染，该地区所有动物都必须被杀死，因为这些疾病是传染性的，它们能从一种动物迅速传播到另一种动物。他说，这就是为什么粮农组织和世界动物卫生组织正在共同努力消灭这些疾病。他说，当中非国家成功消灭害虫，这里的人们就能享受到更优质的蛋白质。

Sebastien Mongomo is an animal pest expert from Equatorial Guinea. He told the conference that diseases caused by pests have killed at least 10 percent of the sheep and goats in his country this year.

塞巴斯蒂安·蒙戈莫（Sebastien Mongomo）是赤道几内亚的动物病虫害专家。他在会上表示，虫害导致的疾病今年已经导致赤道几内亚至少10%的绵羊和山羊死亡。

Dr. Mongomo says the borders between Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea are largely unguarded. He notes it is difficult to control the movement of animals.

蒙戈莫博士表示，喀麦隆、加蓬和赤道几内亚之间的边境几乎无人看守。他指出，这很难控制动物的流动。

Pests can spread diseases and also cause health problems known as secondary infections. Some infections cause the animals to become very tired. They may not eat. Then they die.

害虫可以传播疾病，还能导致继发性感染这类健康问题。有些感染会让动物变得非常疲惫，它们可能不进食然后死亡。

Dr. Felix Njemi is an animal health officer at the FAO. He says the large number of animal deaths is worsening the food crisis in Africa, especially in countries south of the Sahara.

菲利克斯（Felix Njemi）博士是粮农组织的一位动物卫生官员。他说，大量动物死亡正在加速非洲，特别是撒哈拉以南非洲地区的粮食危机。

“The strategy is the large vaccination at the country level. Undertake surveillance to detect any case of the disease and strengthen collaboration 7 between member nations and even between international institutions. Imagine somebody who has 10 animals and loses eight. The disease can have impact in food security.”

“应对战略则是在国家层面开展大规模疫苗接种，开展监测以发现疾病，并加强成员国甚至是国际机构之间的合作。想像一下有人有10头动物，然后死了8头。这种疾病会影响粮食安全。”

Many poor people in African countries depend on goats and sheep for their livelihoods 9. The FAO says people become vulnerable to famine when pests attack and kill their animals.  

非洲国家的很多穷人以山羊和绵羊为生。粮农组织表示，当害虫袭击并杀死他们的动物时，人们就很容易受到饥荒伤害。

Words in This Story

transboundary -- n. crossing borders or the line separating countries

pest – n. an animal or insect that causes problems for people especially by damaging crops or animals

eradication – n. the complete removal of something; the elimination 10 or destruction of something harmful

contagious – adj. able to be passed from one person or animal to another by touching 11

strategy – n. a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time

undertake – v. to begin or attempt (something)

surveillance – n. the act of carefully watching or observing someone or something

detect – v. to discover or notice the presence of (something that is hidden or hard to see)

collaboration – n. the act of working with another person or group in order to achieve or do something

livelihood 8 – n. a way of earning money in order to live

vulnerable – adj. open to attack, harm or damage; (usually + to)

famine – n. a situation in which many people do not have enough food to eat