《中英對照讀新聞》Crunch time for AIDS vaccine nears in 2008 2008年是愛滋疫苗研發的關鍵時刻

◎胡立宗

The hunt for a vaccine against AIDS is about to enter a critical stage, with results in 2008 from large-scale clinical trials of two candidates set to determine the future direction of research.

研發愛滋疫苗的工作將進入關鍵時刻，針對兩種實驗性疫苗的大規模測試，將在2008年完成，（測試）結果將左右未來研發方向。

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Although there is a good chance that neither experimental vaccine will provide comprehensive protection, Seth Berkley, head of the nonprofit International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, is optimistic scientists are on the road to developing a viable shot.

雖然這兩種實驗性疫苗很可能都無法提供全面性的預防效果，但非營利機構「國際愛滋病疫苗研發組織」的主管柏克理還是很樂觀，認為科學家終能製造出有效的疫苗。

Even if today’s vaccines reduce HIV infection rates by only a little, he is confident this would provide a springboard for more effective next-generation products.

儘管現有疫苗只能小幅降低愛滋感染率，但他堅信現有的成果會成為催生新一代更有效疫苗的跳板。

HIV is uniquely difficult to vaccinate against, because the virus infects the very immune system cells that are usually stimulated by a vaccine.

HIV非常難以透過注射疫苗來防制，因為這種病毒感染的對象正是免疫系統的細胞，而疫苗通常就是要啟動免疫系統細胞。

Highest hopes are pinned on a vaccine from Merck & Co. Inc.. Expectations are lower for a rival product from Sanofi-Aventis and VaxGen Inc.

這兩種疫苗之中，默克藥廠的疫苗被投以最高的期望。賽諾菲安萬特與VaxGen合作的疫苗則期望較低。

新聞辭典

crunch：動詞，咀嚼、踩踏；名詞，咀嚼聲、困局、關鍵（時刻）。crunch time，口語用法，指的關鍵時刻、最後關頭。

reduce … by …：將…減少…的量／幅度。They reduced the number of enemy by 10,000。（他們消滅了1萬名敵軍）。

pinned on：釘在…上、將…歸因於…，to pin the fault on someone，將過失歸咎於某人。