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Science and technology
科學技術
The history of AIDS
艾滋病的歷史
Heroes and villains
英雄與狗熊
The story of AIDS involves many larger-than-life characters, good and bad
艾滋病的故事涉及一些富有英雄色彩的人物，有好，也有壞。
ANNIVERSARIES are times for reflection, and this one should be no exception, for the 30-year history of AIDS is a mirror in which humanity can examine itself.
人們往往在紀念日反思，這次也會不例外：艾滋病30年的歷史是一面能使人類自我審視的鏡子。
From questionable scientists to philanthropic billionaires, people's actions against AIDS, and reactions to it, have shown up the best and worst that humans have to offer.
從被人質疑的科學家到仁慈的億萬富翁，人們與艾滋病抗爭行動，以及對它的反應，已揭露出了人類所表現出來的善與惡。
Such dualism was there from the beginning, in the question of who discovered the AIDS-causing virus.
這種二重性從一開始便存在，就在誰發現了艾滋病致病病毒問題上。
There were two claimants.
有兩個自認有功者：
One, Robert Gallo, is American. The other,Luc Montagnier, is French.
一位是美國的羅伯特蓋洛；另外一位是法國的呂克?蒙塔尼。
Dr Gallo called his discovery HTLV-3.
蓋洛博士稱他發現HTLV-3病毒。
Dr Montagnier called his LAV.
蒙塔尼博士稱他發現LAV病毒。
They were in fact the same thing.
HTLV-3病毒和LAV病毒實際上是相同的東西。
It turned out, however, that Dr Gallo's virus had come from Dr Montagnier's laboratory.
然而，結果證明，蓋洛博士的病毒是源于蒙塔尼博士博士的實驗室。
It was never conclusively proved how, though a contaminated sample may have been to blame.
但是從來沒有確鑿地證據證明病毒怎樣從蒙塔尼博士博士的實驗室傳播開來，雖然可能追究于受污染的實驗樣本。
And Dr Gallo was exonerated of any wrongdoing by an official investigation and is universally recognised to have done important work on AIDS.
經過正式調查，蓋洛博士擺脫了一切不道德行為的罪名，并被普遍認為他在艾滋病方面做出重大貢獻。
But only Dr Montagnier won the Nobel prize—eloquent testimony to some people's opinion of the whole affair.
但是，蒙塔尼博士獲得諾貝爾獎是對整件事某些看法的最有說服力的證據。
Another source of conflict was whether HIV, as the virus eventually came to be known, was truly the cause of AIDS.
另一個沖突的源頭在于現在廣為人知的HIV病毒是否是引起艾滋病真正成因。
At the beginning of the epidemic, that might have been debatable.
在艾滋病的剛剛開始盛行時，這可能性是富有爭議的。
Perhaps HIV was merely a passenger that took advantage of an immune system weakened by another cause?
也許HIV病毒僅僅個過客，而造成免疫系統衰弱的真兇另有其人？
One once-respected scientist, Peter Duesberg, who did early research on viral causes of cancer, would not drop the idea.
曾備受尊重的從事濾過性毒菌引起的癌癥的早期研究的科學家彼得?迪斯貝格沒有終止這想法。
He insisted—and still insists—that the weakening of the immune system characteristic of AIDS is caused by drug-taking, and that HIV is, indeed, a passenger.
他堅持認為—現在仍然堅持—，認為艾滋病的特征免疫系統的衰弱是由吸毒引起的，因而HIV病毒確實只是個過客。
This theory would not have mattered much except that Thabo Mbeki, a former president of South Africa, latched on to it.
但南非前總統塔博?姆貝基對這一觀點感興趣，就會引起重大影響。
Since South Africa has the world's largest number of AIDS cases, and one of its highest infection rates, this was bad news,
由于南非擁有全世界最多的艾滋病患者而且是其最高感染率國家之一，這個前總統對這種理論一感了興趣，可糟了。
as was Mr Mbeki's health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who was appointed mainly because she agreed with him, and recommended beetroot and garlic as treatment for the disease.
他居然還任命曼托查巴拉拉-姆西曼為衛生部長，只是因為這位認同這位前總統的觀點，而且那部長還建議用建議用甜菜根和大蒜來治療艾滋病。
Only with the election of Jacob Zuma, who has himself been publicly tested for HIV, did South Africa return to sensible anti-AIDS policies.
直到雅各布?祖瑪當選，親身公開對HIV病毒進行測試，南非在反艾滋病政策才重返理智。
Among the heroes, Bill Gates looms large.
在眾多英雄好漢之中，比爾蓋茨赫然聳現。
The foundation into which he poured much of his Microsoft fortune took AIDS seriously from the beginning, forming a particularly fruitful partnership with the government of Botswana, one of the worst-affected countries.
他用很大一部分微軟的財富的捐資建立的基金會從源頭治理艾滋病，特別從富有伙伴關系的受災最嚴重國家之一的博茨瓦納政府開始。
And Nelson Mandela, the heroes'hero, also cleaved eventually to the path of righteousness, even while admitting he had not done enough to combat AIDS during his own presidency of South Africa.
而納爾遜?曼德拉也是英雄中的英雄，在正義的路徑上披荊斬棘地前進，即使他承認在他當總統時在與艾滋病抗戰上留有余力。
Mr Gates and Mr Mandela are easy to admire.
蓋茨先生和曼德拉先生很值得欣賞。
One hero that many AIDS activists have difficulty accepting, though, is George Bush junior.
不過,許多艾滋病活動家難以接受，另個英雄，是小布什。
Activists do not much like born-again Christians, who take a dim view of the sort of sex lives that help to spread HIV.
活動家極不喜歡那些信仰重生的基督徒與其蔑視“性生活能傳播艾滋病”的行為。
But Mr Bush was responsible for setting up the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief and for making sure it had plenty of money.
但是布什先生負責建立艾滋病救濟總統緊急計劃，并確保提供充足的資金。
PEPFAR is one of the two main organizations, along with the Global Fund, that dish out the cash that rich countries give poor ones to combat AIDS.
PEPFAR是兩個富裕國家給貧窮國家在與艾滋病抗爭上提供現金救濟的主要組織之一，與環球基金齊名。
Last year, it spent almost $7 billion on AIDS and the tuberculosis that often accompanies it, and it is responsible for helping half of the 6.6m people now on anti-retroviral drugs.
去年，它在抗艾滋病和往往伴隨出現的結核病上將近花費70億美元，而且在逆轉病毒藥物上六千六百萬患者中半數都能受惠。
Many activists may be reluctant to give Mr Bush credit. But handsome is as handsome does.
許多活動家可能不太愿意嘉許布什的功勞。但是，行為美才是真美。
