VOICE ONE:
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Joan Molenaar helps her husband Larry, a victim of multiple sclerosis, in a 2007 photo at their home in Minnesota | | |
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Multiple sclerosis is not very easy to say. Those who suffer from the disease may also have difficulty naming it. One sign of multiple sclerosis is losing the ability to speak clearly. It is estimated that more than two million five hundred thousand people worldwide suffer from multiple sclerosis, which also is called MS.多发性硬化症不容易说清楚。那些患此病的人也很难说明白。多发性硬化症的一个症状是不能清楚的说话。据估计全世界有超过250万人患多发性硬化症，也称作MS。
MS is a disease of the brain and spinal cord. The cause of the disease is not known. In patients with MS, the covering of the nerves is destroyed. This temporarily blocks signals that pass through the nerves to the muscles of the body and back to the brain.
MS是一种大脑和脊髓病症。起因不明。患此病的人，神经上的覆盖物被破坏。这就暂时阻塞了通过神经传递到肌肉或传递回大脑的信号。
The disease especially affects the ability to see, the sense of touch and the use of the arms and legs. Most forms of MS are described as progressive. This means that the disease gets worse as time passes.这种病尤其影响视觉，触觉，及手臂和腿的功能。多数形式的多发性硬化症被描述为前进的。也就是说，症状会随时间而恶化。
VOICE TWO:
The central nervous system of the body includes the brain and the spinal cord. The system contains millions of nerve cells joined together by long thin fibers, like wires. Electric signals start in nerve cells and travel along these fibers to and from the brain. A fatty substance called myelin covers and protects the fibers. Myelin works in the same way that protective coverings work on electric wires.人体的神经中心系统在大脑和脊髓。这个系统由数百万个神经单元组成，由长长的纤维连在一起就像电线。电信号有神经单元发出沿这些纤维在大脑和身体各部分支间传输。一种叫做髓鞘质的脂肪物质包裹和保护这些纤维。就像电线外皮对电线的保护一样。
In patients with MS, the myelin becomes infected. It swells, or grows larger, and loses its connection with the nerve fibers. As time passes, the unconnected myelin is destroyed. Hardened, scar tissue then forms over the nerve fibers. The process of hardening is called sclerosis. The word is from Latin and means scar. The many areas of hardened or scar tissue give the disease its name. 患MS的人，他们的髓鞘质被感染。它隆起或增大，脱离了和神经纤维的联系。时间长了，这些脱离联系的髓鞘质就会被毁坏。硬的疤痕组织就在神经纤维上形成。这个变硬的过程就叫硬化。这个词汇来自拉丁语，意思就是疤痕。神经纤维上有很多硬化和疤痕的地方，这种疾病的名字由此而来。
VOICE ONE:
In people with MS, when nerve signals reach a damaged area, some of the signals are blocked or delayed from traveling to or from the brain. This results in problems in different parts of the body. These problems may appear and then disappear, sometimes resulting in long periods when there are no problems at all. Or, they may happen more and more often and become worse. Doctors do not know what causes this process.患MS的人，当神经信号传输到受损的地方时，一些信号被阻塞或者延迟。这就引起身体各部位的问题。这些问题可能出现后又消失，有时很长时间没问题。或者越来越频繁发生，越来越严重。医生也不了解这个过程的原因。
Experts say the disease affects women at least two times as often as men. And the experts say the average age of people found to have the disease is between twenty and fifty years old.专家说女性患此病的概率至少是男人的两倍。患病者的平均年龄在20---50岁之间。
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VOICE TWO:
For years, doctors believed that the cause of multiple sclerosis was environmental. They believed this because most of those suffering from the disease lived in northern Europe and the northern half of the United States.许多年来，医生们认为多发性硬化症的起因和环境有关。他们这样像是因为多数患病者在北欧和美国北部。
In recent years, however, they have changed their beliefs about the causes of MS. Studies support the theory that there are several causes, instead of a single environmental cause or genetic problem. The studies appear to show that genetic problems are involved in making people likely to get the disease.然而，近年来，他们改变了对MS病因的看法。研究显示有几个而不是单纯的环境或遗传原因。研究好像显示遗传可能让人更容易患病。
The studies also appear to show that environmental causes such as viruses or bacteria may be involved. However, researchers have not identified just what those causes might be. Another likely cause is a problem within the body's defenses against disease, when the defenses misunderstand signals and attack the body.研究也显示环境原因比如病毒或细菌有可能也起作用。，然而，研究者并没有确定究竟是什么原因。另一个可能的原因是人体内部的防卫系统，当防卫系统误解了神经信号，就开始攻击身体。
VOICE ONE:
Multiple sclerosis is different from many other diseases. The signs or symptoms of MS are not always the same. Sometimes, symptoms of the disease appear and then disappear for a long time. For example, one of the symptoms is a lack of feeling in one part of the body or another.MS和很多其他的疾病不同。症状表现不总是一样的。有时症状出现然后消失很长时间。例如，一种症状是身体的一部份或另一部分感觉不灵。
Two other symptoms of the disease are muscle weakness and tiredness. However, these also could be caused by other health problems that are not MS. Other symptoms include a loss of the ability to move normally or a loss of balance. A person suffering from MS also may have difficulty seeing well or speaking clearly.另两种症状是肌无力或疲劳。然而这也可以由非MS的其他原因造成。其他症状包括失去正常移动的能力和失去平衡感。患MS的人还会有视力和语言困难。
VOICE TWO:
Doctors who suspect a patient has MS must carry out a number of tests and study the patient's history of health problems. MS symptoms can depend on where the nerve scars are in the body's central nervous system. And some of these signs are not always easy to see. 怀疑病人患MS的医生必须要作 若干测试研究病人的病史。MS的症状取决于神经疤痕处于中枢神经系统的什么位置。这些迹象不是很容易找到。
Magnetic Resonance Imaging is one way to tell if a patient has multiple sclerosis. The test, also known as MRI, involves studying the magnetic signals from all the cells in the body. An MRI can show if there are scars from MS along a patient's nerves. A doctor can use this test to tell if a patient might have the disease, as well as by studying the patient's medical history.磁共振成像是诊断的MS一个方法。这个测试也叫做MRI，包括研究身体所有神经单元的磁信号。MRI可以显示病人的神经上是否有MS导致的疤痕。医生可以用这个测试来告诉病人是否得了MS，也要研究病人的病史。
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VOICE ONE:
There are four main kinds of multiple sclerosis. The first kind is called Relapsing-Remitting. About eighty-five percent of MS patients begin with this form of the disease. More than half of the patients have this form at any one time. These patients have one or two major MS-related problems every one to three years. Then they have periods with no signs of the disease.有四种主要的多发性硬化症。第一种叫做缓解型。大约百分之八十五的MS患者由这种类型开始。超过半数的病人每次都由这种症状。这些病人每一到三年出现MS引起的一两种症状。然后进入无症状周期。
The symptoms appear suddenly and last a few weeks or months before slowly disappearing. However, the symptoms may also become worse each time they appear.症状突然出现，持续数周或数月然后慢慢消失。然而，症状也可能逐次加重。
VOICE TWO:
The second kind of MS is called Primary Progressive. In this form, the signs of the disease appear and begin to grow worse, with no periods of disappearance. About ten percent of patients begin their struggle with the disease this way.第二种叫做初期发展（？）这种类型，症状出现并逐步加重没有消失周期。大约百分之十的病人从这种症状开始他们的斗争。
The third kind of MS is called Secondary Progressive. This form of the disease affects about fifty percent of those with the Relapse-Remitting form of MS. It begins to affect them several years after they have had Relapse-Remitting MS. When the disease changes to Secondary Progressive, the disease begins to grow worse.第三种类型叫做中级发展（？）大约百分之五十的缓解型患者进入中级发展。在他们患缓解型以后数年开始。一旦进入中级发展，疾病开始就变得严重了。
The fourth kind of MS is called Progressive Relapsing. It is the worst form of multiple sclerosis. New signs of MS appear while existing ones grow worse. This form of the disease is rare. It affects only five percent of MS cases. 第四种叫做发展复发（？）这是最严重的类型。在老症状恶化的同时新症状又出现。这种类型很少见，只有百分之五的病例。
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VOICE ONE:
Scientists say multiple sclerosis does not appear to be passed from parents to children. However, it does appear to be found in families. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society says one in every seven hundred fifty Americans is at a risk of developing MS. But the risk rises to one in every forty people among those who have a close family member with the disease.科学家说多发性硬化症看起来不会由父母遗传给孩子。然而，的确有在家庭中出现的病例。国家多发性硬化症学会说，每750个美国人就有一个有可能患这种病。但在那些近亲中有患此病的人中，这个比例上升到每四十人中就有一个。
It does not appear that one gene is responsible for MS. Instead, several genes may increase the possibility that a person will develop MS. Common viruses or bacteria may also increase the chances that some people will develop the disease. 看起来没有一种基因会导致MS，而是多种基因导致患病的可能。普通的病毒或细菌也可能导致患病。
VOICE TWO:
There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. MS does not always result in severe disability. Many patients with the disease are able to live normal lives. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says many patients do well with no treatment at all. The agency notes that many medicines to treat the disease have serious side effects while some carry risks. 没有针对多发性硬化症的治疗法。MS不总是导致严重残疾。许多患者能够过正常生活。国家神经系统疾病和中风学会说许多患者没有任何治疗也活的很好。他们提醒说很多治疗这种病的药物有严重的副作用，一些还有危险。
Several kinds of medicine are used to treat the symptoms. Some drugs reduce the swelling in nerve tissue. Drugs known as beta interferons also are used to treat MS. Interferons are genetically engineered copies of proteins found naturally in the body. These proteins help fight viral infections and help the body's defenses against disease. 一些药物用来治疗这种病。一些药物减少神经组织的膨胀。beta interferons 也用来治疗此病。beta interferons （干扰素）是人体蛋白质的基因工程复制品。这些干扰素对抗病毒，提高免疫力。
VOICE ONE:
The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved three forms of beta interferon for treatment of Relapsing-Remitting MS. The FDA also has approved a man-made form of myelin basic protein to treat this kind of MS. And, a treatment to suppress the body's defenses against disease was approved to treat severe cases of MS.
美国食品与药品管理署已经核准三种干扰素用于缓解型MS的治疗。FDA也核准了人造髓鞘碱性蛋白用于这种MS的治疗。一种抑制人体免疫的治疗方法也被核准用于MS的几种症状的治疗。
The FDA has approved sales of the drug natalizumab to treat people with relapsing forms of MS. But the drug can be given only in centers where specially-trained doctors can observe patients. FDA允许出售治疗缓解型MS的药物，但只能在那些有受过专业训练的医生的监视的医疗中心拿到。
VOICE TWO:
Scientists are working to develop new treatments for MS. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society says more than one hundred studies are continuing around the world. Doctors are hopeful that new treatments will help patients with multiple sclerosis in the future. 科学家正在开发MS的新疗法。国家多发性硬化症学会说全世界有超过100个研究正在进行。医生们对未来的治疗充满希望。
[此贴被系统于2009-1-9 17:21:41编辑过]
[此贴被系统于2009-1-11 7:54:59编辑过]
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