Researchers(1) estimate that more than two billion people a year get diseases(2) spread by(3) animals. More than two million of them die(4). Delia Grace is a veterinary epidemiologist — an expert(5) in the spread of diseases involving animals.
She is also a food safety(6) expert. She works at the International Livestock(7) Research Institute in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
She says diseases transmitted between(8) animals and people are called zoonoses. She says more than 60 percent of human diseases come from(9) other vertebrate animals. Some of these diseases are common(10). Others are extremely rare(11). Delia Grace says there are(12) many different infection pathways(13) for a person. Probably the most common one is for people to get sick(14) from food. Other transmission pathways include direct contact with animals.
And some diseases can be transmitted through(15) water or through the air. Delia Grace says diseases like avian influenza(16) or mad cow(17) disease have killed(18) very few people(19). But she says they are of interest because some of them(20) could kill a lot of people.
They include the Spanish flu(21) after the First World War(22), and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Delia Grace is the lead(23) author of a new report(24) called “Mapping(25) of Poverty(26) and Likely(27) Zoonoses Hotspots(28).” She points out(29) that poverty and disease are closely linked(30), so preventing(31) the transmission of animal diseases could help reduce poverty. The report, for Britain’s
Department for International Development(32), lists places (33) where the diseases are most common.
The report lists places where a disease has existed for a long time(34), a so-called(35) endemic zoonosis, as well as(36) places with new threats(37). Delia Grace says things(38) could get worse(39) in the coming years(40) as meat(41) production increases (42) to feed(43) a growing(44) world population.
High production farms(45) often(46) raise animals(47) close together(48). Crowding(49) can allow(50) diseases to spread quickly. Another concern(51) is the use of antibiotics in food animals, not only to(52) prevent and treat(53) diseases but to increase growth(54). The report says an “incentive-based” system to encourage(55) safer(56) methods of raising animals could be more effective than increasing food inspections.
For example, small farmers(57) could receive training(58) and other help that would lead to(59) official approval(60) of their products. For VOA Special English, I’m Mario Ritter. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast 10Jul2012)
Vocabulary
1. Researchers = Pesquisadores 2. get diseases = pegam doenças 3. spread by = espalhado por 4. die = morrem 5. expert = especialista 6. food safety =segurança em alimentos 7. Livestock = pecuária 8. Between = entre 9. come from = vem de 10. common = comum 11. extremely rare = extremamente raro 12. there are = existem 13. pathways = vias, caminhos 14. get sick = ficar doente 15. through = através 16. avian influenza = gripe aviária 17. avian influenza = vaca louca 18. have killed = tem matado 19. very few people = muito poucas pessoas 20. some of them = alguns deles 21. Spanish flu = gripe espanhola 22. First World War = primeira Guerra mundial 23. Lead = lider, chefe 24. Report = relatório 25. Mapping = mapeamento 26. Poverty = pobreza, miséria 27. Likely = provável 28. Hotspots = “pontos importantes” 29. points out = salient, destaca 30. closely linked = intimamente ligados 31. preventing = prevenir 32. Development = desenvolvimento 33. Places = locais 34. for a long time = por um longo tempo 35. so-called = assim chamados, conhecidos como 36. as well as = assim como 37. threats = ameaças 38. things = coisas 39. could get worse = poderiam ficar piores 40. coming years = proximos anos 41. meat = carne 42. increases = aumenta 43. feed = alimentar 44. growing = crescente 45. High production farms = fazendas de alta produção 46. Often = frequentemente 47. raise animals = criam animais 48. close together = bem próximos 49. Crowding = aglomeração 50. Allow = permitir 51. Another concern = uma outra preocupação 52. not only to = não apenas para 53. treat = tartar 54. growth = crescimento 55. encourage = encorajar 56. safer = mais seguros 57. farmers = fazendeiros, agricultores 58. receive training = receber treinamento 59. lead to = conduzir a 60. approval = aprovação