2020年諾貝爾生理學或醫學獎揭曉

血源性肝炎是導致世界各地人們肝硬化和肝癌的一個主要的全球性健康難題。今年的諾貝爾生理學或醫學獎授予了三位科學家，他們鑑定出一種新型病毒，即丙型肝炎病毒，從而在與血源性肝炎的鬥爭中做出了決定性的貢獻。

Three scientists who played central roles in the discovery of the hepatitis C virus have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020.

2020年諾貝爾生理學或醫學獎近日揭曉，獲獎者是三位在發現丙型肝炎病毒的過程中做出重大貢獻的科學家。

This prize will be shared by Michael Houghton, from the United Kingdom, and United States scientists Harvey J. Alter and Charles M. Rice, who all made notable contributions toward the discovery of the blood-borne virus that causes chronic liver problems.

這個獎項將由英國科學家邁克爾·霍頓以及美國科學家哈維·J·阿爾特和查爾斯·M·賴斯分享，他們都爲發現導致慢性肝臟問題的血源性丙型肝炎病毒做出了卓越貢獻。

Alter demonstrated in the 1970s that some people who received blood transfusions would develop cases of hepatitis that were not caused by the hepatitis A or B viruses, suggesting that another infectious agent was to blame.

阿爾特在20世紀70年代證明，一些接受輸血的人會患上不是由甲型或乙型肝炎病毒引起的肝炎，這表明另一種感染源是罪魁禍首。

In the 1980s, Houghton managed to isolate the genetic sequence of the virus, while Rice proved that the pathogen could replicate and cause infection.

在20世紀80年代，霍頓成功地分離出了丙型肝炎病毒的基因序列，而賴斯則證明了這種病原體可以複製並引起感染。

The World Health Organization estimates that around 71 million people worldwide live with hepatitis C, which can cause major liver complications and, in some cases, death.

據世界衛生組織估計，全世界大約有7100萬人患有丙型肝炎，丙型肝炎會導致嚴重的肝臟併發症，在某些情況下甚至會導致死亡。

The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, which is the Stockholm-based body that oversees the awards, said the three researchers had contributed to a "landmark achievement in the ongoing battle against viral diseases".

斯德哥爾摩卡羅林斯卡學院的諾貝爾獎大會稱，這三位研究人員爲“抗擊病毒性肝炎的一項里程碑式的成就”做出了貢獻。卡羅林斯卡學院負責評審和頒發諾貝爾生理學或醫學獎。

"The discovery of hepatitis C virus revealed the cause of the remaining cases of chronic hepatitis and made possible blood tests and new medicines that have saved millions of lives," the assembly said in a statement. "Thanks to their discovery, highly sensitive blood tests for the virus are now available and these have essentially eliminated post-transfusion hepatitis in many parts of the world, greatly improving global health."

大會在一份聲明中說：“丙型肝炎病毒的發現揭示了其餘慢性肝炎病例的病因，使驗血和研製新藥成爲可能，從而挽救了數百萬人的生命。由於他們的發現，現在可以對病毒進行高度敏感的血液檢測，這基本上消除了世界許多地區的輸血後肝炎，極大地改善了全球健康。”

The assembly said that the discoveries performed by the newly minted Nobel Laureates also allowed for the rapid development of antiviral drugs directed at hepatitis C.

大會說，這些新諾貝爾獎得主的發現也爲快速開發針對丙型肝炎的抗病毒藥物創造了條件。

"For the first time in history, the disease can now be cured, raising hopes of eradicating hepatitis C virus from the world population," the statement said.

該聲明說：“丙型肝炎在歷史上首次得以治癒，爲在全人類中根除丙型肝炎病毒帶來了希望。”

The award for physiology and medicine is the first of the Nobel Prizes to be handed out this year, with prizes in physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics to follow during the next seven days.

生理學或醫學獎是今年頒發的第一個諾貝爾獎項，接下來的七天裏還將頒發物理學獎、化學獎、文學獎、和平獎和經濟學獎。