摘要：Myxomatosis is a fatal disease of all breeds of domesticated rabbits caused by myxoma virus, a member of the poxvirus group. Myxom

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一、生词准备

myxomatosis [ˌmɪksəməˈtoʊsɪs]，n.，黏液瘤病

domesticated [dəˈmestɪkeɪtɪd]，adj.，被驯化的

myxoma [mɪkˈsoʊmə]，n.，黏液瘤

poxvirus [ˈpɒksvaɪrəs]，n.，痘病毒

mucinous [ˈmjuːsɪnəs]，adj.，黏液质的

myxedema [ˌmɪksɪˈdiːmə]，n.，黏液性水肿

resistant [rɪˈzɪstənt]，adj.，有抵抗力的

fibroma [faɪˈbroʊmə]，n.，纤维瘤

refractory [rɪˈfræktəri]，adj.，耐受的、难治的

conjunctivitis [kənˌdʒʌŋktɪˈvaɪtɪs]，n.，结膜炎

anorectic [ˌænəˈrektɪk]，adj.，厌食的

edematous [ɪˈdiːmətəs]，adj.，水肿的

purulent [ˈpjʊərələnt]，adj.，化脓的

labored [ˈleɪbəd]，adj.，吃力的

eosinophilic [ˌiːəˌsɪnəˈfɪlɪk]，adj.，嗜酸性的

二、短文内容

Myxomatosis is a fatal disease of all breeds of domesticated rabbits caused by myxoma virus, a member of the poxvirus group. Myxomatosis is called “big head” and is characterized by mucinous skin lesions or myxedema of the head. Wild rabbits such as the cottontail and jackrabbits are quite resistant. Myxoma virus–infected Sylvilagus develop fibroma-like lesions similar to those caused by rabbit fibroma virus. All other mammals are refractory to the virus. Myxomatosis has a worldwide distribution. In the USA, myxomatosis is restricted largely to the coastal area of California and Oregon, where epidemics occur infrequently but sporadic cases are common. These areas correspond to the geographic distribution of the California brush rabbit, the reservoir of the infection. Losses in rabbitries may be 25%–90%. Transmission occurs via mosquitoes, fleas, biting flies, and direct contact.

The initial sign is conjunctivitis that rapidly becomes more marked and is accompanied by a milky ocular discharge. The rabbit is listless and anorectic, with a fever that frequently reaches 108°F (42°C). In acute outbreaks, some rabbits may die within 48 hours after signs appear. Those that survive become progressively depressed and develop a rough coat. The eyelids, nose, lips, and ears become edematous, which gives a swollen appearance to the head. In females, the vulva becomes inflamed and edematous; in males, the scrotum swells. A characteristic sign at this stage is drooping of the edematous ears. A purulent nasal discharge invariably appears, breathing becomes labored, and the rabbit goes into a coma just before death, which usually occurs within 1–2 weeks after clinical signs appear. Occasionally, a rabbit survives for several weeks; in these cases, fibrotic nodules appear on the nose, ears, and forefeet. Rabbits inoculated experimentally with laboratory strains of the virus invariably develop small nodules at the point of injection after several days; similar nodules develop later on other parts of the body, particularly the ears.

Few characteristic gross lesions are found at necropsy in the acute form of the disease. The spleen is occasionally enlarged and is almost always devoid of lymphocytes when examined histologically. In rabbits that survive longer, subcutaneous edema and nodular skin tumors are seen. The seasonal incidence of the disease, clinical signs (especially the swollen genitalia), and high mortality are all of diagnostic significance. Large, eosinophilic, cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in the conjunctival epithelial cells are also helpful in diagnosis. Outside the USA, vaccination is an option and highly recommended in endemic areas.

三、短文注释

1. cottontail：棉尾兔，[ˈkɑːtnteɪl]，名词。这是一种野兔品种，在文中用于举例说明部分野生兔子对黏液瘤病具有较强抵抗力，让读者了解到不同兔种面对该疾病时的差异表现。

2. jackrabbit：长耳大野兔，[ˈdʒækˌræbɪt]，名词。同样作为野生兔子的代表被提及，与家兔形成对比，凸显野生兔类在对抗黏液瘤病毒时的天然优势，辅助说明病毒宿主特性。

3. geographic distribution：地理分布。文中指加利福尼亚刷尾兔这一病毒储存宿主的分布范围，关联疾病的地域性流行特点，解释为何黏液瘤病在美国某些沿海区域更为常见。

4. reservoir of the infection：感染源。加利福尼亚刷尾兔担当这一角色，意味着它能储存、传播黏液瘤病毒，即便没有大规模疫情时，也可能成为后续发病的隐患源头 。

5. ocular discharge：眼部分泌物。患病兔子起初出现结膜炎，随后伴有 “milky ocular discharge”，通过描述这个症状，能直观知晓兔子眼部受病毒侵害后的生理反应。

6. listless：没精打采的，[ˈlɪstləs]，形容词。精准刻画兔子感染病毒后精神萎靡的状态，和健康活泼状态形成反差，侧面反映病情对兔子身体机能的消耗。

7. vulva：阴门，[ˈvʌlvə]，名词。描述雌性兔子发病时的身体部位症状，当感染黏液瘤病，阴门会出现发炎、水肿状况，完善对不同性别兔子患病特征的说明。

8. scrotum：阴囊，[ˈskroʊtəm]，名词。对应雄性兔子，和雌性兔子阴门症状类似，感染后阴囊肿胀，用以呈现疾病在性别差异下的不同表征。

9. seasonal incidence：季节性发病率。意味着黏液瘤病的发病频率在不同季节有所不同，是疾病流行规律的关键要素，有助于养兔者提前预防。

10. endemic areas：流行地区。指那些经常有黏液瘤病出现的地域，在这些地方，疫苗接种成为重要预防手段，点明防疫重点区域。

11. biting flies：咬蝇，[ˈbaɪtɪŋ flaɪz]。在文中是黏液瘤病毒传播的媒介之一，这类蝇类通过叮咬兔子，能够将病毒从患病个体传播到健康个体身上，扩大疾病感染范围。

12. fibroma-like lesions：纤维瘤样病变，[faɪˈbroʊmə laɪk ˈliːʒənz]。指兔子感染黏液瘤病毒后，身上出现类似纤维瘤的损伤，这种病变特征有助于识别兔子所患病症，辅助诊断。

13. histologically：组织结构上地，[ˌhɪstəˈlɒdʒɪkli]，副词。用于描述检查兔子脾脏时所采用的微观层面观察方式，即从组织学层面观察脾脏淋巴细胞缺失情况，辅助判断疾病对机体组织的影响。

14. subcutaneous edema：皮下水肿，[ˌsʌbkjuːˈteɪniəs ɪˈdiːmə]。指疾病发展一段时间后，兔子皮下组织出现液体潴留而肿胀的现象，是病情发展到一定阶段的体征表现。

15. sytoplasmic inclusion bodies：细胞质包涵体，[ˌsaɪtəˈplæzmɪk ɪnˈkluːʒən ˈbɒdiz]。在结膜上皮细胞里出现的这类结构，尤其是嗜酸性的细胞质包涵体，对黏液瘤病的诊断具有重要的指示作用，是病理诊断的关键依据。

【Source】www.merckvetmanual.com

【Translated by】Spark Liao (廖怀宝)

【Illustration】From Bing

来源：沪上英语教与学