New Study Warns of Widespread 'Superbugs'
英语课
Indian health officials have rejected a new medical study warning of widespread drug-resistant 1 bacteria in the country's capital. But the co-author of the study says Delhi is in denial, and warns the bacteria can spread easily around the world, possibly threatening the effectiveness(效力) of medical treatments.
India's Health Ministry 2 has issued a statement dismissing new British research warning of a dramatic spread of a bacteria containing a drug-resistant gene 3 in the nation's capital.
The report was published Thursday in the British journal Lancet Infectious Diseases. It focuses on the gene "NDM-1," in which ND stands for New Delhi. A report last year cited the gene's presence here in bacteria found in hospital environments. The newer report says the bacteria is now widespread in the city's drinking supply, sewer 4 systems, and other public sources of water.
What concerns Dr. Mark Toleman, a co-author of the British study, is that NDM-1 turns ordinary illness-causing bacteria into what are known as "superbugs," which are all but impervious 6 to antibiotics 8. "For these particular type of bacteria, there are no useful antibiotics left," he said.
That means simple bacterial 9 illnesses, like dysentery, could become nearly impossible to treat with drugs. Advanced procedures like surgery, which rely on antibiotics to control infection, could become much more dangerous.
The Indian Health Ministry statement, issued Thursday evening, describes the Lancet findings as "not significant." The statement criticizes the study as being unsupported by clinical evidence, and points out that Indian patients respond well to antibiotic 7 treatment.
Dr. Ranjit Roy Chaudhary is a senior advisor 10 on medical policy to the Indian government. He says the Lancet study should not be cause for alarm.
"The science of the study is good. But the implication of the findings is always made a little more sensational 11 than it is," Chaudhary said.
Chaudhary says India has long been aware it faces water management challenges. "This is not the first time bugs 5 have been found in the water - even resistant bugs. We shouldn't get alarmed by this. We should take the ordinary precautions. Boiling water for 20 minutes will get rid of it," Chaudhary said.
Still, Toleman insists India is in "extreme denial" about the potential danger of NDM-1. He says that its spread is probably not limited to New Delhi. "Almost certainly it's much more widespread(普遍的广泛的). And I'm sure if we did a study in most, or maybe even all, of the major cities in India, we'd find it," he said.
Toleman and co-author Professor Timothy Walsh expect many more studies pointing to South Asia as a key culprit in spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria globally via tourism and travel.
"The polluted water supply and the poor sanitation 12 in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan is not only dramatically affecting the health of those individual nations, but ... this is having an effect on the health of the rest of the world," Toleman said.
The controversy 13 over the Lancet report coincides with Thursday's World Health Day, sponsored by the United Nations World Health Organization, devoted 14 this year entirely 15 to the theme of antibiotic resistance.
Researchers widely agree that improper 16 use of antibiotics, which is rampant 17 in India, is making it easier for drug-resistant genes 18 to emerge. The Indian government is expected to announce new policies to restrict access to antibiotics in a matter of days.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)
adj.(to)抵抗的,有抵抗力的
- Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
- They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。
n.(政府的)部;牧师
- They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
- We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。
n.遗传因子,基因
- 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。
n.排水沟,下水道
- They are tearing up the street to repair a sewer. 他们正挖开马路修下水道。
- The boy kicked a stone into the sewer. 那个男孩把一石子踢进了下水道。
adj.疯狂的,发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 );病菌;虫子;[计算机](制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的)错误
- All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞,都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
adj.不能渗透的,不能穿过的,不易伤害的
- He was completely impervious to criticism.他对批评毫不在乎。
- This material is impervious to gases and liquids.气体和液体都透不过这种物质。
adj.抗菌的;n.抗生素
- The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
- Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。
n.(用作复数)抗生素;(用作单数)抗生物质的研究;抗生素,抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )
- the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
- The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。
a.细菌的
- Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间,细菌繁殖加快了。
- Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。
n.顾问,指导老师,劝告者
- They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
- The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。
adj.使人感动的,非常好的,轰动的,耸人听闻的
- Papers of this kind are full of sensational news reports.这类报纸满是耸人听闻的新闻报道。
- Their performance was sensational.他们的演出妙极了。
n.公共卫生,环境卫生,卫生设备
- The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看,这个地段非常糟糕。
- Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。
n.争论,辩论,争吵
- That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
- We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
- He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
- We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
- The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
- His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
adj.不适当的,不合适的,不正确的,不合礼仪的
- Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
- Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。
adj.(植物)蔓生的;狂暴的,无约束的
- Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
- You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。