科学家破解蜗牛DNA以对抗血吸虫病

Scientists have decoded the genome of a snail involved in the spread of a deadly parasitic disease.

日前，科学家已经解码了一种涉及致命寄生虫病蔓延的蜗牛的基因组。

They say the information will help in the fight against schistosomiasis, an infection caused by a parasitic worm that lives in streams and ponds.

他们表示，这些信息有助于抗击血吸虫病，这是一种由存活在溪流和池塘中的寄生虫所引发的传染病。

The disease affects millions of people a year in sub-tropical and tropical regions.

这种疾病每年在亚热带和热带地区影响着数百万人。

More than 100 researchers from around the world have unlocked the DNA secrets of a snail that transmits the parasite. They say it will help in the understanding of the snail's biology, including new ways to stop the parasite spreading to people.

来自世界各地的100多位研究人员已经解除了传播寄生虫的蜗牛的DNA秘密。他们说，这将有助于了解蜗牛的生物学，包括阻止寄生虫传播给人的新途径。

"Having the knowledge means we can progress at a much faster pace at understanding the disease and reducing the number of people infected," said Dr Joanna Bridger of the University of Brunel, a co-researcher on the study.

布鲁内尔大学的博士、该研究的合作者乔安娜·布里奇说道：“掌握了这些知识，意味着我们在深入了解疾病和减少人类感染方面可以更快速的取得进展。”

The snail (Biomphalaria glabrata) is found in South America. Related snails are responsible for transmitting the parasite in sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases occur.

这只蜗牛（光滑双脐螺）是在南美州发现的。其他类似的蜗牛则是撒哈拉以南的非洲出现的大多数传染病中的罪魁祸首。

People become infected when larval forms of the parasite - released by freshwater snails - penetrate the skin in contaminated water. In the body, the larvae develop into adult worms, which live in the blood vessels and release eggs.

当血吸虫的幼虫被淡水蜗牛释放到水中，再通过被污染的水穿透皮肤，人就会受到感染。在人体内，幼虫在血管里寄生，发展为成虫并产卵。

Some of the eggs are passed out of the body to continue the parasite's lifecycle. Others become trapped in body tissues, causing damage to organs.

一些虫卵被排除体外，以继续其寄生虫的生命周期。其他的被困在人体组织内，导致人体器官的损害。