VOA慢速英语:Doctors Lack Many Ways to Treat Radiation Exposure

Countries across Asia and beyond are reporting small amounts of radiation from the disabled nuclear reactors in Japan. But officials say these levels are not a threat to public health.
亚洲内外的国家都报道有来自日本损坏的核反应堆的少量放射性物质。但是官方表示，这种级别放射性物质不会对公众健康造成威胁。

On Tuesday, Chinese officials reported low levels of radioactive iodine-131 in areas of southeastern China. These include Guangxi, Guangdong and Shanghai. Earlier tests found the material in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang.
在星期二，中国官员称东南地区出现低水平的放射性碘131。包括广东，广西和上海。先前的检测已经发现东北省份黑龙江出现该放射性物质。

In South Korea, nuclear safety officials say they have found radioactive iodine in Seoul and several other areas.
在韩国，核安全官员表示，他们在首尔和其他几个地区发现了放射性碘。

Traces from the Fukushima power station have also been found as far away as Britain and the eastern United States.
在较远英国和美国东部也发现了来自福岛核电站的极少量放射性物质。

Radioactive iodine loses half its strength in a week. But a more dangerous material, plutonium, has also been found in soil near the power plant.
放射性碘的威力在一周之内已经减弱了一半。但是核电站附近的土壤中发现了一种更加危险的物质--钚。

Some medicines, like Prussian blue pills, can help expel radioactive elements from the body. But there are not a lot of treatments for radiation exposure.
如普鲁士蓝药片等一些药物可以将放射性元素排出体外。但是治疗辐射危害的方法却不多。

The best known is potassium iodide. The pills flood the thyroid gland with non-radioactive iodine. The thyroid gland is a small organ in the neck that requires iodine for good health.
最广为人知的就是碘化钾。这种药片可以使非放射性的碘涌入甲状腺。甲状腺是脖子里一个很小的器官，需要碘来维持健康。

But people exposed to high levels of radioactive iodine can get thyroid cancer. The pills block the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine and reduce the cancer risk.
但是人们接触高水平的放射性碘可能会患甲状腺癌。这种药片可以阻止甲状腺吸收放射性碘，降低致癌风险。

But the pills are not a cure for radiation sickness. And they work only if the radioactive iodine has been taken into the body through food or drink.
但是这药片并不能治疗辐射造成的疾病。他们只有在放射性碘通过食物或水进入体内的情况下才能发挥效用。

The World Health Organization is warning the public not to use potassium iodide unless health officials advise them to. WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl says the pills have their own risks.
世界卫生组织警告人们，只有医生建议的情况下才服用碘化钾。世卫发言人Gregory Hartl表示，碘化钾药片亦存在自身的风险。

GREGORY HARTL: "Indiscriminate use of the product can cause side effects such as inflammation of the salivary glands, nausea, rashes, intestinal upset and possible severe allergic reactions. It can also interact with other medications, especially certain types of cardiovascular medications such as ACE inhibitors, receptor blockers and potassium-sparing diuretics."
Gregory Hartl：“随意滥用这种药片会产生副作用，例如甲状腺发炎，恶心，皮疹，胃肠不适或者严重的过敏反应。还可能与其他药物相互作用，尤其是心血管药物，例如ACE抑制剂，受体阻断剂和保钾利尿药。”

The crisis in Japan is the result of damage from the March eleventh earthquake and tsunami.
日本的核危机是由3.11地震和海啸造成的。

In the United States, the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute is looking for more-effective treatments for radiation exposure. The institute is working with a company called Onconova on one possible treatment known as Ex-Rad. Onconova officials say Ex-Rad has shown promise in tests on animals, but several more years of research are needed.
美国武装部队放射生物学研究所正在寻找更加有效的治疗辐射伤害方法。该研究所与Onconova公司合作，正在研究一种被称为Ex-Rad的治疗方法。Onconova公司官员表示，Ex-Rad在动物测试中已经给人带来一些希望，但是仍需进行多年的研究。