新的流感疫苗接种方式不用打针

    Most people think of influenza as a common health problem -- not a serious condition.
    大多数人认为流感是一种常见的小病,不是什么严重病症。

    Yet an influenza infection can be deadly, especially in older adults, young children and people with weak or failing health.
    然而流感感染可能会致命,尤其是对老年人、幼儿和身体虚弱的人群。

    Every year, less than half of all adult Americans who should have a flu vaccine actually get one.
    每年,本应注射流感疫苗的所有美国成年人只有不到一半的人进行了注射。

    The vaccine is injected into the muscle of the upper arm. The injection is painful. It can leave redness on the skin and cause swelling, temporarily enlarging the area.
    这种疫苗被注射到上臂肌肉中。注射过程很痛苦。它会导致皮肤发红并引起肿胀。

    In the United States, flu season usually begins in late autumn and continues until spring.
    在美国,流感季节通常始于秋末,并一直持续到春天来临。

    Now, scientists have developed a treatment that may soon take the pain out of flu vaccines. And, they hope it will increase the percentage of Americans getting flu shots.
    现在科学家们已经开发出一种新的疗法,可能很快就能消除流感疫苗的疼痛。而且,他们希望这能提高美国人的流感疫苗接种率。

    Nadine Rouphael is a professor of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. She was the lead investigator for clinical testing of the influenza skin patch.
    纳迪·洛菲尔(Nadine Rouphael)是格鲁吉亚州亚特兰大市埃默里大学医学院的传染病教授。

    Rouphael explained that the patch has very small needles that contain the flu vaccine. She said the needles completely melt into the skin and do not leave any sharp waste afterward.
    洛菲尔解释说,该贴片上非常细小的针头里包含了流感疫苗。她说,这些针头会完全溶解在皮肤里,之后不会留下任何尖锐的残留物。

    Patients wear the patch for just a few minutes. Then, the material can be thrown away.
    患者只要把这种贴片贴上几分钟,然后就能丢弃它。

    The clinical tests took place in June 2015 and involved 100 patients. They were from 18 to 49 years old. None had received a flu vaccine during the most recent influenza season.
    临床测试于2015年6月进行,包含了100名患者,年龄从18岁到49岁。他们在最近的流感季节都没有注射过流感疫苗。

    The patients were divided into four groups.
    这些患者被分为四组。

    Health care providers or patients put on the influenza patches. Some of the patients also received the vaccine by injection. The fourth group was given a placebo, or harmless substance.
    由医护人员或患者自行贴上这种流感贴片。有些患者还注射了疫苗。第四组被给予了无害的安慰剂。

    Whether the patch was put on the skin by a health care provider or by a patient, Rouphael says it was as safe and effective as the common needle injection. There were few harmful effects, including a small amount of redness and swelling, which lasted a few days.
    洛菲尔表示,无论这种贴片是由医护人员还是患者自己贴上去的,都跟通常的针头注射一样安全有效。几乎不会有什么不良效益,包括会持续几天的略微发红和肿胀。

    The findings were reported in The Lancet.
    该研究结果发表在《柳叶刀》杂志上。

    The investigators wrote in their report that, six months after the vaccination, both the common needle and patch methods offered similar protection.
    研究人员在报告中写道:“疫苗接种六个月之后,普通针头和贴片这两种流感疫苗接种方式都提供了同样的保护。”

    Nadine Rouphael says the patients who used the patch liked it.
    洛菲尔表示,使用贴片的患者喜欢这种接种方式。

    "We do have a lot of people that are typically scared of needles and they're more prone or were more excited about being part of this clinical trial so they could try the microneedle instead."
    她说:“确实有很多人往往害怕打针,他们更喜欢参与这种临床试验,这样他们就能试用这种微小针头。”

    Rouphael says 70 percent of those who used the patch liked it more than an injection.
    洛菲尔表示,70%使用了贴片的患者更喜欢贴片而不是注射。

    The patch does not need to be kept in cool place. So Rouphael says it could be sold in stores or mailed to patients. The fact that it is painless, she notes, means more people will probably get vaccinated against the seasonal flu virus.
    这种贴片不需要保存在阴凉处。所以洛菲尔表示,它可以在商店销售,或是寄给患者。她指出,它是无痛的,这意味着可能会有更多人接种季节性流感疫苗。

    The Global Center for Medical Innovation manufactures the patch. The company is also investigating using the technology for other vaccines, including for measles, mumps and rubella.
    全球医疗创新中心生产了这种贴片。该公司还在研究把这种技术用到其它疫苗上,包括麻疹、腮腺炎和风疹疫苗。

    I'm Alice Bryant.
    我是艾丽丝·布莱恩特。(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!)