本期内容：

Disease evolution: our long history of fighting viruses
疾病的演化：我们漫长的病毒斗争史
A virus is essentially an information system(encoded in DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protective coat and shaped by evolution to ensure its own replication and survival.
病毒本质上是一种经保护层包裹、通过进化重塑来确保自身复制和存活的信息系统（编码于DNA或RNA中）。
Antiviral drugs tend to be unique for the particular virus, or closely related family of viruses. This has made them much less available than antibacterial drugs.
抗病毒药物往往只针对特定病毒或与之紧密关联的“病毒家族”，这使得它们远比抗菌药物难以获得。
Humans have a deep history of viral infections, but other than the molecular analysis of current or recently circulating pathogens, the data is fragmentary.
人类有着漫长的病毒感染史，然而其数据并不完整——人们只对当前或最近传播的病原体进行过分子分析。
That may change as researchers probe more ancient DNA from Egyptian mummies, where there is evidence of lethal tuberculosis and malaria (neither of which is viral) dating 1,500 to 4,000 years back. The evidence so far suggests mummies suffered from smallpox and polio.
这一情况或将有所改变。研究人员从埃及木乃伊身上检测到更多古代DNA，证实了致命肺结核和疟疾(两者均不是病毒性的)的出现可追溯至1500到4000年前。目前的证据表明，这些木乃伊生前曾患天花和小儿麻痹症。
Using vaccination and other disease control measures, we have eliminated two virus infections that have, through the ages, caused massive economic damage and loss of life: human smallpox (1980) and bovine rinderpest (2011).
通过接种疫苗和其他疾病防控措施，我们已经消灭了两大传染病毒：感染人类的天花病毒（1980）和感染牛只的牛瘟病毒（2011）。长期以来，这两种病毒造成了巨大的经济损失和生命损失。
Another scourge, polio, is close to eradication. But problems remain with vaccine coverage (and the safety of the medical teams) in regions that are essentially war zones.
另一祸害小儿麻痹症也几近根除。不过，一些战乱居多的地区仍存在疫苗覆盖率不足（以及医疗团队安全堪忧）的问题。

Evolution n. 进化
the Law of Evolution 进化论
essentially adv. 本质上，根本上，基本上（fundamentally or basically）
What he’s saying is essentially true.
他说的基本上是对的。
protective coat保护层
coat n. 外层物质
give the wall a coat of paint 给一堵墙上漆
replication n. 复制
replicate v. 复制
Computer viruses replicate themselves and are passed along from user to user.
计算机病毒自我复制并从一个用户的计算机传到另一个用户的计算机上。
antiviral adj. 抗病毒的
anti- 反抗的，对立的
viral adj. 病毒的
viral infection 病毒性感染
sth. goes viral 某物得到了病毒式传播
His video has now gone viral with millions of views.
他的那段小视频得到了病毒式传播。
antibacterial drugs 抗细菌药物
molecular adj.分子的
molecule n. 分子
fragmentary adj. 零星的，不完整的 （existing only in small parts and not complete）
fragment n. 碎片，碎块
fragmented adj. 支离破碎的，分裂的
This industry is highly fragmented.
这个行业的集中度非常低。
probe vt. 探查，探测（to examine sth. with a tool, esp. in order to find sth. that is hidden）
smallpox n. 天花
polio n. 脊髓灰质炎（小儿麻痹症）
human smallpox感染人类的天花病毒
天花最早的预防方法，人痘接种法，我国在16世纪明朝时期发明的，将天花患者身上结出来的痂，磨成粉，然后吹到接种者的鼻子里。
18世纪末英国发明了危险性更小的牛痘接种法之前，人痘接种法也算是为人类防治天花做出了巨大的贡献。
scourge n. 祸害，祸根，麻烦制造者（sth. or sb. that causes great suffering or a lot of trouble）
Aids is described as the scourge of the modern world.
艾滋病被称为现代社会的祸害。
eradication n. 根除，消灭
eradicate v. 根除，消灭（to get rid of sth. completely or destroy sth. bad）
vaccine n. 疫苗
vaccinate v. 接种疫苗
vaccinate sb. against sth. 给某人接种某疫苗
All the children were vaccinated against the major childhood diseases.
孩子们接种了预防主要儿童疾病的疫苗。
vaccination n. 接种疫苗
Vaccination against the flu is essential in the winter.
在冬天打流感疫苗是非常有必要的。
Prevention is better than cure. 预防要比治疗好。
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
防患于未然。（一盎司的预防抵得上一磅的治疗。）


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