2022年10月26日 VOA慢速英語：美國兒童醫(yī)院報告 RSV 感染激增

 
Children's hospitals in parts of the United States are reporting a worrying surge in respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
美國部分地區(qū)的兒童醫(yī)院報告說呼吸道合胞病毒 (RSV) 出現令人擔憂的激增。
 
The common virus affects the breathing system, usually causing minor sickness like a runny nose and cough. But RSV infections can cause much more serious disease in babies and old people.
常見病毒會影響呼吸系統(tǒng)，通常會引起流鼻涕和咳嗽等輕微疾病。但 RSV 感染會導致嬰兒和老人患上更嚴重的疾病。
 
RSV cases dropped sharply two years ago when the pandemic led to shutdowns of most public activity. But with restrictions easing in the summer of 2021, doctors saw a concerning increase in RSV infections. The disease usually spreads in the autumn and winter seasons.
兩年前，當大流行導致大多數公共活動停止時，RSV 病例急劇下降。但隨著 2021 年夏天限制的放松，醫(yī)生們看到 RSV 感染的增加令人擔憂。該病通常在秋冬季節(jié)傳播。
 
Doctors are preparing for the possibility that RSV, flu and COVID-19 may all surge in the coming months. Experts worry that such an event could cause greater medical demand than hospitals can meet.
醫(yī)生們正在為 RSV、流感和 COVID-19 可能在未來幾個月內激增的可能性做準備。專家擔心，這樣的事件可能會導致醫(yī)院無法滿足的醫(yī)療需求。
 
"I'm calling it an emergency," said Dr. Juan Salazar of Connecticut's Children's Hospital. There, RSV has forced led the hospital to repurpose some spaces in the building as patient rooms.
“我稱之為緊急情況，”康涅狄格州兒童醫(yī)院的胡安·薩拉扎爾博士說。在那里，RSV 迫使醫(yī)院將大樓中的一些空間重新用作病房。
 
Most people infected with RSV can pass the virus over a three to eight day period. But, babies and people with weakened immune systems can spread RSV for up to four weeks. There is no vaccine for it, though several candidates are in testing.
大多數感染 RSV 的人可以在三到八天的時間內傳播病毒。但是，嬰兒和免疫 系統(tǒng)較弱的人可以傳播 RSV 長達 4 周。盡管有幾名候選人正在測試中，但沒有針對它的疫苗。
 
RSV can infect anyone. But it causes the most threat to babies, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. These groups are at greater risk of developing serious lung infections from RSV.
RSV 可以感染任何人。但它對嬰兒、老年人和免疫系統(tǒng)較弱的人造成的威脅最大。這些群體發(fā)生 RSV 嚴重肺部感染的風險更大。
 
Around 58,000 Americans under the age of five require hospital treatment for RSV in a usual year. The disease also kills as many as 500 children under five in the U.S. ever year.
在通常的一年里，大約有 58,000 名五歲以下的美國人需要住院治療 RSV。在美國，這種疾病每年還導致多達 500 名五歲以下兒童死亡。
 
For adults 65 and older, RSV causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths yearly.
對于 65 歲及以上的成年人，RSV 每年導致 177,000 人住院和 14,000 人死亡。
 
For babies, the struggle to breathe can interfere with eating.
對于嬰兒來說，呼吸困難會影響進食。
 
Experts are suggesting several reasons for the current RSV surge.
專家們提出了當前 RSV 激增的幾個原因。
 
They note that babies and children were less exposed to RSV and other common diseases during the pandemic lockdowns. Now that restrictions have ended, children face higher chances of contact with RSV.
他們指出，在大流行封鎖期間，嬰兒和兒童較少接觸 RSV 和其他常見疾病?，F在限制已經結束，兒童接觸 RSV 的機會更大。
 
Also, experts say immune systems might not be as prepared to fight the virus after more than two years of masking, said Dr. Elizabeth Mack. She is with the Medical University of South Carolina.
此外，專家表示，經過兩年多的掩蔽，免疫系統(tǒng)可能還沒有做好對抗病毒的準備，伊麗莎白麥克博士說。她在南卡羅來納醫(yī)科大學工作。
 
Last week, tests identified RSV infections in more than 7,000 people, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is more than in past outbreaks.
疾病控制和預防中心 (CDC) 表示，上周，檢測發(fā)現超過 7,000 人感染了 RSV。這比過去的爆發(fā)要多。
 
There is no cure for RSV. Doctors may provide a steroid medicine or an inhaler to patients to ease their breathing. In serious cases, patients can require oxygen assistance, a breathing tube or a ventilator.
RSV 無法治愈。醫(yī)生可能會向患者提供類固醇藥物或吸入器以緩解他們的呼吸。在嚴重的情況下，患者可能需要氧氣輔助、呼吸管或呼吸機。
 
To prevent the spread of viruses, people should wash their hands and stay home if feeling sick.
為防止病毒傳播，人們在感到不適時應洗手并待在家里。
 
 
During RSV season, an injection of an antibody-based medicine is sometimes given to protect babies at very high risk.
在 RSV 季節(jié)，有時會注射一種基于抗體的藥物來保護處于極高風險的嬰兒。