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進入《中英對照讀新聞》Measles dangers linger for years after infection： study 研究：感染麻疹後威脅持續數年才消失
◎李信漢
Measles can harm the immune system for up to three years, leaving survivors at a higher risk of catching other infectious and potentially deadly diseases, researchers said.
麻疹可能損害免疫系統長達3年之久，讓患者處於高風險，感染其他傳染的和可能致命的疾病，研究人員說。
It was previously known that measles could suppress the body’s natural defenses for months, but the findings in the journal Science show that the dangers of the vaccine-preventable disease last much longer, by wiping out essential memory cells that protect the body against infections like pneumonia, meningitis and parasitic diseases.
（研究者）先前就已知麻疹可壓制人類身體天生的防禦系統達數個月，但這項刊載於《科學》的研究指出，這個疫苗可預防的疾病，其威脅時間持續更久。麻疹病毒的危害是，藉由消滅免疫系統中的重要記憶細胞，這種細胞保護身體對抗感染疾病，像是肺炎、腦膜炎和寄生蟲引起的疾病。
"In other words, if you get measles, three years down the road, you could die from something that you would not die from had you not been infected with measles," said co-author C. Jessica Metcalf, assistant professor of Princeton University.
「換句話說，如果你感染麻疹，接下來3年，你可能死於那些你未感染麻疹前，不會令你致死的疾病。」論文共同作者、普林斯頓大學助理教授麥考夫說。
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases of all. It typically causes a rash and fever, and can lead to dangerous complications such as lung infections, brain swelling and seizures.
麻疹是所有疾病中，最具傳染力的疾病之一。它典型的症狀是引發疹子和高燒，並且有可能導致危險的併發症，像是肺感染、腦腫脹，和疾病的突然發作。
After the measles vaccine was introduced some 50 years ago, mortality from measles began to fall in Europe and the United States, the researchers said. "Our findings suggest that measles vaccines have benefits that extend beyond just protecting against measles itself." （AFP）
麻疹疫苗在50多年前引進後，麻疹的致死率在歐洲和美國開始降低，研究人員說。「我們的研究發現建議，麻疹疫苗的功效遠超過僅是保護注射者對抗麻疹疾病本身而已。」（法新社）
新聞辭典
measles：名詞，麻疹。例句：He has measles.（他感染麻疹。）
linger：動詞，持續，徘徊。例句：The sound of the piano lingered in the air.（鋼琴的聲音在空中餘音繞樑。）
contagious：形容詞，（疾病）接觸傳染的。例句：I have a cold and I’m still contagious.（我感冒了，而我仍有傳染力。）
