齲齒是一種由細(xì)菌感染引起的慢性進(jìn)展性口腔疾病，發(fā)病人群范圍廣，對(duì)人類健康及公共衛(wèi)生危害大。中國(guó)科學(xué)院武漢病毒研究所成功研發(fā)出第二代重組蛋白抗齲疫苗，可通過鼻內(nèi)黏膜無創(chuàng)滴注或直接噴霧，甚至可以自行接種，安全方便。

Dreaded trips to see your dentist could be replaced with a vaccine to prevent tooth decay in the future, researchers predict.
據(jù)研究人員預(yù)測(cè)，預(yù)防齲齒的疫苗有望問世，之后你就再不用為看牙醫(yī)擔(dān)驚受怕了。

The jab, developed by Chinese scientists, offers a dose of proteins that are effective at removing build-ups of plaque responsible for cavities.
這種疫苗由中國(guó)科學(xué)家研發(fā)，疫苗中的一種蛋白質(zhì)可有效清除導(dǎo)致齲齒的齒斑堆積。

Early trials show it to be 64 percent effective - meaning people would still have to brush their teeth twice a day to avoid a trip to the dentist's chair.
早期實(shí)驗(yàn)表明齲齒疫苗有效率達(dá)64%，也就是說，人們?nèi)孕杳咳账⒀纼纱我灶A(yù)防齲齒。

It offers hope of a 'fantastic' answer for preventing or even reversing cavities, which strike a third of adults, according to figures.
齲齒疫苗為預(yù)防甚至逆轉(zhuǎn)齲齒帶來了希望，令人不可思議。據(jù)數(shù)據(jù)顯示，成年人中有三分之一患有齲齒。

The researchers said the vaccine would be welcomed in Western countries, where teeth-rotting sugar is consumed heavily.
研究人員表示，齲齒疫苗將在西方國(guó)家流行，這些國(guó)家中導(dǎo)致齲齒的糖類消耗量巨大。

But the team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology said the jab is several years away from undergoing clinical tests. However, experts are excited.
但武漢病毒所的研究小組表示，還要過幾年才能將齲齒疫苗投入臨床試驗(yàn)。但專家已為此感到振奮。

專家這樣說

Dr Richard Marques, a Harley Street dentist, told MailOnline: 'This sounds like a fantastic development in dentistry.
倫敦哈利街的一位牙醫(yī)理查德-馬奎斯博士告訴每日郵報(bào)網(wǎng)站：“這是牙醫(yī)學(xué)的巨大進(jìn)展?！?/p>

'Preventing tooth decay through vaccination would totally change the dental situation of many children and adults around the world.
“通過接種疫苗來預(yù)防齲齒將完全改變?nèi)虮姸嗪⒆雍统赡耆说难例X狀況?！?/p>

'Dental decay is such a problem and a drain on healthcare resources so this has the potential to transform dental healthcare.'
“齲齒是個(gè)大問題，也消耗了醫(yī)療衛(wèi)生資源，因此齲齒疫苗有望改變牙科保健?！?/p>

It works by using proteins from the bacteria Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) - which is the main cause of dental cavities.
齲齒疫苗通過使用變異鏈球菌中的蛋白質(zhì)起效，變異鏈球菌是主要的致齲病原菌。

They are then fused together with proteins derived from strains of E. coli bacteria, Science Alert reports.
根據(jù)《科學(xué)前沿》的報(bào)道，科學(xué)家將這種蛋白質(zhì)與大腸桿菌菌株中提取的蛋白質(zhì)混合。

Previous studies had shown this combination to be effective in protecting against cavities, but produced unwanted side effects.
此前研究表明，這種混合物對(duì)預(yù)防齲齒有效，但會(huì)產(chǎn)生有害的副作用。

工作原理

The new vaccine is fused together with a third protein, derived from flagella proteins - cells that help the combination to move around.
科學(xué)家在這種新的疫苗中添加了另外一種蛋白質(zhì)——提取自鞭毛素蛋白，幫助疫苗起效。

The prototype vaccine, which produced fewer side effects, was administered as a nasal spray in laboratory tests on rodents.
疫苗樣品產(chǎn)生的副作用較少，以鼻部噴霧的方式對(duì)嚙齒動(dòng)物進(jìn)行了實(shí)驗(yàn)測(cè)試。

Writing in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers found it offered a similar amount of the protection as the initial vaccine.
研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，與初始疫苗相比，重組后的疫苗提供的保護(hù)效應(yīng)大致相當(dāng)。研究報(bào)告發(fā)表在《科學(xué)報(bào)告》期刊上。

The vaccine had a 64.2 percent prophylactic efficacy. It also reversed tooth decay by 53.9 percent, the researchers noted.
研究人員表示，疫苗的預(yù)防功效為64.2%，逆轉(zhuǎn)齲齒的功效為53.9%。

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, said: 'Any realistic scientific development which could help reduce the impact of tooth decay is welcome.
口腔健康基金會(huì)的董事長(zhǎng)奈杰爾-卡特博士說：“我們歡迎所有有助于減少齲齒危害的現(xiàn)實(shí)科學(xué)進(jìn)展?！?/p>

'This study shows initial promise, however, there may be a substantial wait, involving clinical trials before anything can be rolled out at a patient level.'
“這項(xiàng)研究帶給我們希望，但我們可能還要等很久，在大規(guī)模接種前還要進(jìn)行臨床試驗(yàn)?！?/p>

英文來源：每日郵報(bào)
翻譯&編審：yaning