2022年10月26日 VOA慢速英语：美国儿童医院报告 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.
美国部分地区的儿童医院报告说呼吸道合胞病毒 (RSV) 出现令人担忧的激增。
 
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.
常见病毒会影响呼吸系统，通常会引起流鼻涕和咳嗽等轻微疾病。但 RSV 感染会导致婴儿和老人患上更严重的疾病。
 
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.
两年前，当大流行导致大多数公共活动停止时，RSV 病例急剧下降。但随着 2021 年夏天限制的放松，医生们看到 RSV 感染的增加令人担忧。该病通常在秋冬季节传播。
 
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.
医生们正在为 RSV、流感和 COVID-19 可能在未来几个月内激增的可能性做准备。专家担心，这样的事件可能会导致医院无法满足的医疗需求。
 
"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.
“我称之为紧急情况，”康涅狄格州儿童医院的胡安·萨拉扎尔博士说。在那里，RSV 迫使医院将大楼中的一些空间重新用作病房。
 
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.
大多数感染 RSV 的人可以在三到八天的时间内传播病毒。但是，婴儿和免疫 系统较弱的人可以传播 RSV 长达 4 周。尽管有几名候选人正在测试中，但没有针对它的疫苗。
 
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。但它对婴儿、老年人和免疫系统较弱的人造成的威胁最大。这些群体发生 RSV 严重肺部感染的风险更大。
 
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，大约有 58,000 名五岁以下的美国人需要住院治疗 RSV。在美国，这种疾病每年还导致多达 500 名五岁以下儿童死亡。
 
For adults 65 and older, RSV causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths yearly.
对于 65 岁及以上的成年人，RSV 每年导致 177,000 人住院和 14,000 人死亡。
 
For babies, the struggle to breathe can interfere with eating.
对于婴儿来说，呼吸困难会影响进食。
 
Experts are suggesting several reasons for the current RSV surge.
专家们提出了当前 RSV 激增的几个原因。
 
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.
他们指出，在大流行封锁期间，婴儿和儿童较少接触 RSV 和其他常见疾病。现在限制已经结束，儿童接触 RSV 的机会更大。
 
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，专家表示，经过两年多的掩蔽，免疫系统可能还没有做好对抗病毒的准备，伊丽莎白麦克博士说。她在南卡罗来纳医科大学工作。
 
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.
疾病控制和预防中心 (CDC) 表示，上周，检测发现超过 7,000 人感染了 RSV。这比过去的爆发要多。
 
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 无法治愈。医生可能会向患者提供类固醇药物或吸入器以缓解他们的呼吸。在严重的情况下，患者可能需要氧气辅助、呼吸管或呼吸机。
 
To prevent the spread of viruses, people should wash their hands and stay home if feeling sick.
为防止病毒传播，人们在感到不适时应洗手并待在家里。
 
 
During RSV season, an injection of an antibody-based medicine is sometimes given to protect babies at very high risk.
在 RSV 季节，有时会注射一种基于抗体的药物来保护处于极高风险的婴儿。