Scientists have developed a new version of a drug used to treat leishmaniasis. The new formulation may help better battle this tropical parasitic disease.
科学家们研发出了一种新的药物来治疗利什曼病。 这个新方法将帮助人们对抗热带寄生虫病。
Leishmaniasis is transmitted by the bite of certain sand flies.
利什曼病是通过一种沙蝇的咬伤而传播的。
The World Health Organization says as many as 12 million people are infected with the leishmaniasis parasite.
世界卫生组织说，世界上有多达一千二百万人感染了这种利什曼原生虫病。
Cutaneous leishmaniasis, which affects the skin and mucus membranes, is the most common form.
皮肤利什曼病是其中最常见的一种，它会影响感染者的皮肤和黏膜 。
But the more serious form, called visceral leishmaniasis, attacks the immune system. Without proper treatment, it's often fatal. One of the drugs used against leishmaniasisis is amphotericin B.
但是更严重的一种叫做内脏利什曼病，它会攻击患者的免疫系统。 如果没有得到适当的治疗，患者通常会死亡。 用来对抗利什曼病的其中一种药物叫做“两性霉素B”。
Amphotericin is effective, but it has from numerous drawbacks. It's expensive, it has to be given as an injection, it's highly toxic to the kidneys, and it loses effectiveness if exposed to high temperatures.
两性霉素确实能有效的治疗利什曼病，但是同时它也有很多弊端。 首先它很昂贵，而且必须通过注射来获取，对肾脏的毒性很大，并且如果它被暴露在高温下将会失去药效。
University of British Columbia researcher Kishor Wasan has been testing an improved version he developed.
英国哥伦比亚大学的研究员Kishor Wasan一直在测试他所研发出的一种改进型药物。
He says his new formulation addresses all these shortcomings: it's much cheaper, for one, and it can be taken by mouth.
他说他所研发的这种新型药物能够解决以前的所有弊端，例如， 这种药物的价格很便宜，而且可以口服。
"It's tropically stable," Wasan says. "We've been able to develop a formulation that does not need refrigeration, and that's a huge factor in the developing world. And finally, we're looking at a formulation that is very effective, but does not have that kidney toxicity."
Wasan说：“它在热带环境下的药效也是稳定的。 我们已经能够研发出不需要冷藏的药物，这样就为发展中国家解决一个重要因素了。 而最后我们要面临的问题是找到一种既有效又没有肾毒性的药物。”
To test the effectiveness of his new version of amphotericin B, Wasan sent samples to a laboratory at another university, where it was used to treat mice infected with visceral leishmaniasis.
为了测试他研发出的两性霉素B的效果，Wasan把药物样品送到了另外一所大学的实验室，这个实验室曾用感染了内脏利什曼病的老鼠来做实验。
"And the results were just remarkable," he says. "We found greater than 99 percent reduction in the parasitic load in less than five days, and remarkably, in 60 percent of the animals, we completely eradicated the infection."
他说：“测试结果是它的效果非常显著。 在不到五天的时间里，我们发现实验中的老鼠体内寄生虫的存活量下降了99%以上。而且，我们还发现有60%的老鼠所感染的寄生虫被完全根除了。”
After the positive animal-test results, Wasan is now seeking funding to begin human trials.
这次动物测试取得了肯定的结果之后，Wasan现在正在寻求资金的援助来进行人体试验。
The new formulation for amphotericin B may be useful against other conditions, too. The drug is also used to treat fungal infections in people with compromised immune systems, such as HIV patients and organ transplant recipients.
这种两性霉素B改进型药物对其它疾病也有作用。 它可以用来治疗因真菌感染导致免疫系统受损的患者，例如艾滋病患者和器官移植接受者。
"The impetus originally to do the work was actually in the fungal infections," Wasan says. "Physicians wanted a cheaper, more accessible form of amphotericin B than the injectable. So the oral formulation was going to help in those situations as well. So, yeah, there actually are multiple uses for this formulation."
Wasan说：“研发这种药物的最初动力是由于真菌感染。 医生想要找到一种比两性霉素B更便宜，而且更加方便不用注射的药物。 所以这种口服的配方药对改变这一现状很有帮助。 而且，这种药物的用途真的很广泛。”
Kishor Wasan was present his findings in Washington as the annual meeting of the American Association from Suitable Scientists.
Kishor Wasan在一年一度的美国科学家协会上面展示了他的发明。
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