2006年VOA标准英语-New Research Suggests Infections May Run in Fam
时间：2019-02-04 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（十月）
By Jessica Berman
Washington
04 October 2006
New research suggests that infectious diseases may run in families. Investigators 1 say the discovery represents a major shift in the way scientists view human disease.
Experts have always accepted that certain chronic 2 illnesses run in families. But French researchers now say they have the first evidence that susceptibility to an infectious disease can be inherited.
The investigators focused on herpes simplex, a virus that infects eight out of 10 adults. In most people, the worst symptom is a painful cold sore.
But in a small percentage of infected people, herpes simplex causes a potentially devastating 3 brain disease called viral encephalitis. The disease can cause epilepsy, mental retardation 4 and death.
French researchers studying the families of children with viral encephalitis found a defect in an important protein that signals the immune system to recognize foreign invaders 5. Both the children and a number of their family members had normal immune systems but they also had a flawed copy of the gene 6 that produces that signaling protein, type-1 interferon.
In a study published in the journal Science, the researchers describe the case of two French children with viral encephalitis who had inherited a defective 7 copy of the signaling gene.
Researcher Jean-Laurent Casanova of the Necker Medical School in Paris says, until now, experts wondered why viral encephalitis appeared to run in families. Now they know why.
"We have solved this sort of enigma 8 or mystery by showing that the rare individuals who develop encephalitis have genetic 9 lesions, genetic defects in a molecular 10 circuit that is required for the production of other molecules 11 that are required for anti-viral immunity," explained Casanova.
Casanova says there may be any number of infectious diseases that run in families that can be traced to genetic defects.
"This is a paradigm 12 shift in the field of infectious diseases which should now in my opinion not only be considered from the angle of the invading microorganism, whether a virus or a bacterium 13, but from the angle of the genetic make-up of the infected individuals," he said.
Casanova says it is possible that children who develop viral encephalitis may soon be treated with interferon along with the standard herpes drug, acyclovir.
He expects that in the future, defective genes 14 will be identified and corrected in people who might otherwise become critically ill from harmless bacteria and viruses.
- 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》
- Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
- Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。
- It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
- Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。
- Asbestos reinforcement confers excellent flame retardation properties on a composite. 石棉增强材料使复合材料具有优异的防火性能。
- The theory confirms the increase in the retardation effect with decrease in particle size. 理论证实，随着颗粒尺寸的减小，这一减速效应将增大。
- They prepared to repel the invaders. 他们准备赶走侵略军。
- The family has traced its ancestry to the Norman invaders. 这个家族将自己的世系追溯到诺曼征服者。
- A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
- The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。
- The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
- If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。
- I've known him for many years,but he remains something of an enigma to me.我与他相识多年，他仍然难以捉摸。
- Even after all the testimonies,the murder remained a enigma.即使听完了所有的证词，这件谋杀案仍然是一个谜。
- It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
- Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
- The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
- For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。
- The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
- Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。
- He had become the paradigm of the successful man. 他已经成为成功人士的典范。
- Moreover,the results of this research can be the new learning paradigm for digital design studios.除此之外，本研究的研究成果也可以为数位设计课程建立一个新的学习范例。
- The bacterium possibly goes in the human body by the mouth.细菌可能通过口进入人体。
- A bacterium is identified as the cause for his duodenal ulcer.一种细菌被断定为造成他十二指肠溃疡的根源。