来自英国和肯尼亚的科学家可能已经找到一种控制疟疾，并可能消灭全球最危险疾病之一的办法。
The scientists say they have found a microbe that prevents mosquitoes from being infected with the organism that causes the disease.
这些科学家表示，他们已经找到一种可以微生物，可以防止蚊子被导致这种疾病的生物所感染。
A report on the research was published in Nature Communications. It says the microbe completely protects the insects from infection.
这份研究报告发表在《自然通讯》杂志上。报告称这种微生物可以彻底保护蚊子不被感染。
The microbe is called Microsporidia MB. The scientists found it inside the body and sex organs of mosquitoes living around Lake Victoria in Kenya.
这种微生物被称之为Microsporidia MB。科学家们在肯尼亚维多利亚湖附近的蚊子体内和性器官中发现了这种微生物。
The researchers reported they could not find a single mosquito with the microbe that causes malaria.
研究人员报告称，他们找不到一只蚊子携带会导致疟疾的微生物。
Jeremy Herren is an expert on insects. He said, "The data we have suggest it is 100% blockage, it's a very severe blockage of malaria."
杰米特·赫伦是昆虫专家。他表示：“我们得出的数据表明，它能彻底阻断疟疾。”
Experts say they do not know how the microbe prevents the mosquitoes from carrying the malaria parasite. But they suspect that it affects the mosquito's natural defenses so the insect does not become infected.
专家表示，他们不清楚这种微生物如何防止蚊子携带疟疾寄生虫。但是他们怀疑它能影响蚊子的自然防御能力，因此这些蚊子不会被感染。”
The scientists estimate that about five percent of mosquitoes carry the microbe naturally. The researchers say the next step is to study ways to release the microbe-carrying mosquitoes into the wild.
科学家估计大约有5%的蚊子天然携带了这种微生物。研究人员表示，他们下一步将会研究如何将携带这种微生物的蚊子释放到野外。
Malaria kills about 400,000 people every year. The disease spreads to people through mosquito bites. The World Health Organization (WHO) says most of the victims are children younger than five years.
疟疾每年造成约40万人死亡。这种疾病通过蚊虫叮咬传播给人类。世卫组织表示，大多数受害者是5岁以下儿童。
Mosquito nets and insect-killing chemicals have aided in the fight against malaria over the past 20 years. This is especially the case in African countries south of the Sahara Desert. However, mosquitoes in some areas are becoming resistant to chemical products.
在过去20年里，蚊帐和杀虫剂帮助了抗击疟疾。这在撒哈拉以南非洲国家尤其如此。然而某些地区的蚊子已经开始对化学产品产生抵抗力。
The WHO predicts that the number of malaria deaths could reach 769,000 or higher this year.
世卫组织预测，今年疟疾的死亡人数可能会达到76.9万人或更高。
I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
我是小马里奥·里特。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)