一场麻疹疫情袭击了美国中西部地区的明尼苏达州，最近几个星期该州报告了50起病例。
Health officials say at least 45 cases were among children in the Somali-American community in the city of Minneapolis. Nearly all of those affected were not vaccinated against measles.
卫生官员表示，至少有45例发生在明尼阿波利斯市的索马里裔美国人社区。几乎所有受感染者都未接种麻疹疫苗。
Measles is a serious disease that can cause breathing problems, brain swelling, or even death. It spreads very easily among unvaccinated people.
麻疹是一种严重疾病，它会导致呼吸道疾病、脑肿胀甚至死亡。这种疾病在未接种人群中极易扩散。
U.S. health officials recommend that all children receive a combined vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella. This combination vaccine is called MMR. But many parents in the Somali community oppose vaccinations because they believe they can cause a child to develop autism.
美国卫生官员建议所有儿童接种一种联合疫苗以预防麻疹、腮腺炎和风疹。这种联合疫苗被称之为MMR。但是索马里人社区的很多家长反对接种疫苗，因为他们认为这可能会让儿童患上自闭症。
A 2014 study by the American Board of Family Medicine found that 35 percent of Somali parents surveyed in Minneapolis believed the MMR vaccine causes autism. Just 8 percent of non-Somalis held the same belief.
美国家庭医学委员会2014年的一项研究发现，在明尼阿波利斯市调查的35%的索马里裔家长认为MMR疫苗会导致自闭症，只有8%的非索马里裔人士持有相同观点。
Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disability. It affects a person's ability to communicate and do things with other people.
自闭症也称之为自闭症谱系障碍，这是一种发育障碍。它会影响一个人与他人沟通和合作的能力。
The University of Minnesota reported in a 2010 study that about one in 32 Somali children aged 7-9 in Minneapolis developed ASD. Another highly publicized study from a British researcher in 1998 linked autism to the MMR vaccination.
明尼苏达州大学在2010年的一项研究中报告称，明尼阿波利斯市每32名年龄在7到9岁的索马里裔儿童就有一人患上自闭症。来自一名英国研究人员的另一份大肆宣扬的研究将自闭症同接种MMR疫苗联系了起来。
The 1998 study was later discredited and withdrawn by the British journal The Lancet, which reported it. Other research in recent years has failed to support the 2010 study's findings.
这项1998年的研究随后被发表它的《柳叶刀》杂志质疑并撤回。近年来的其它研究未能支持2010年这项研究的研究结果。
One major study involving 95,000 American children was released in 2015. It found no harmful link between the MMR vaccine and ASD, even in children already at higher risk for ASD.
一项涉及9.5万名美国儿童的重大研究于2015年被公布。它发现MMR疫苗跟自闭症之间没有任何有害关联，即使在已经存在自闭症高风险的儿童中也是如此。
Other American communities with low vaccination rates have also experienced measles outbreaks in recent years.
其它接种率低的美国社区最近几年也出现了麻疹疫情。
Dr. Mohamed Hagi Aden is with Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. He told VOA's Somali Service all parents should inform themselves about the latest research suggesting no link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
Mohamed Hagi Aden博士就职于明尼苏达州圣保罗市地区医院。他对美国之音索马里部门表示，所有家长应该提醒自己，最新研究表明MMR疫苗跟自闭症之间没有联系。
The Minnesota Department of Health is taking steps to win back trust in vaccines. Two Somalis are now working with the department on outreach efforts. One visits mothers' groups, day care centers and schools to talk about vaccines. The other informs parents about autism and provides information about resources for special-needs children.
明尼苏达州卫生部正采取措施赢回公众对疫苗的信任。两名索马里人现在正同该部门合作进行外联工作。其中一人访问妈妈组织、日托中心和学校讨论疫苗。另一人告诉家长有关自闭症的信息，并为有特殊需求的儿童提供有关资源的信息。
Minnesota health officials have requested $5 million in state money to deal with the measles emergency, as well as other recent outbreaks of tuberculosis and syphilis.
明尼苏达州卫生官员已经申请500亿美元州资金来处理这一麻疹紧急情况，以及最近爆发的结核病和梅毒疫情。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)