1. Warm up activity:
Discuss the following questions in pairs.
□ What infectious diseases have been recorded in our country?
□ What are some important advancements in medical science that you know about?
□ How do advancements in medical science and technology help tight fatal
diseases?
XIXDXRXIX
2. Now read the following text written by Steve Reed who is the founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI). IDRI is a non-profit organization based in Seattle, USA. It develops novel and advanced products for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of neglected diseases related to poverty.
When I started working on the research and science of leprosy more than a decade ago, people thought this chronic infectious disease would eliminate itself and burn out over time.
We didn't have time for that. Why? Nearly 250,000 new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year, and many more go undetected. Approximately 10 percent of new cases occur in children.
Even though it's associated with biblical times, leprosy remains a problem in the modern era and was reported in 130 countries worldwide. Ifs most prevalent in a number of countries throughout Africa, Asia and South America. Symptoms include progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes but they can take several years to appear, making the disease hard to diagnose at an early stage.
Even worse, leprosy comes with a stigma- Unlike most other diseases, leprosy results in isolation, as people with leprosy are often shunned The good news, however, is that we now have the key scientific solutions and momentum as well as key collaborations to finally have the opportunity to eliminate leprosy. I couldn't have said this 10 years ago....
At 1DRI, we are also attacking leprosy in two different ways.
First, by developing a fast, easy-to-use test that provides an early diagnosis of infection before clinical symptoms, such as nerve damage, begin to appear. This new approach is far superior to the traditional method of diagnosis, which has generally involved clinical and/or microscopic assessment TDRT is also developing a companion test so that we can identify which people will likely progress to the disease and to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
And, second, by developing a vaccine that can be used therapeutically in conjunction with antibiotics to shorten therapy. IDRTs diagnostic tools would be used to identify infected individuals and IDRTs vaccine would then be used on a targeted basis for treatment of the patient as well as to immunise family members and close contacts. This treatment and prevention strategy has been significantly bolstered by support from some pharmaceutical giants that donate the currently used antibiotics.
The most exciting part of this breakthrough is the feet that we're now right on the course of human clinical trials after a decade of leprosy vaccine development The Food and Drug Administration will initially oversee the multi-stage trials in the USA before they move on to the Philippines, India and Brazil.
Global technology has been an integral part of our quest to eliminate leprosy. The rapid diagnostic test for leprosy infection, for example, was developed in conjunction with a Brazilian company. This company combined IDRTs leprosy diagnostic antigens with a smart phone-based platform that standardizes the ability to accurately interpret results and get a quantitative value. The test requires just a single drop of blood, mixed with a developing reagent The appearance of two lines indicates that the person is positive for leprosy. From there, the information from the phone is pushed to the person's medical records.
People around the world now believe we will soon have the tools to finally eliminate leprosy. The next step is making this disease disappear.
By: Steve Reed
[Source:http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2014/01/24/using-cutting-edge-science-and-technology-against-an-age-old-disease/]
3. Answer the following questions:
a. What are some of the symptoms of leprosy?
b. How is the study of leprosy bacterium different from the study of other infectious organisms?
c. What are the two approaches taken by IDRI to curb the threats of leprosy?
d. What, according to the author, is the most exciting breakthrough in IDRI's war against leprosy?
e. Can you find example of blending of cutting-edge life-science technology with state-of-the-art communications technology.
f. Do you think that the author is an optimist? Explain why/why not?
4. Debate: Form two groups. Debate on the following motion.
Each year, developed countries spend billions of dollars on research on infectious diseases but this has little impact on the lives of the poor.
5. How is the leprosy situation in Bangladesh?
6. What do the following words mean?
a. antigen
b. symptom
c. stigma
d. momentum
e. microscopic
f. therapy
g. eliminate
h. quantitative
i. gene
j. antibiotics
k. chronic
l. immunise
m. therapeutic
n. reagent
7. Provide verbs for the following noun words:
a. synthesis
b. standard
c. elimination
d. diagnosis
e. donation
8. Re-write the following sentences in active voice:
i. IDRI's diagnostic tools would be used to identify infected individuals.
ii. This treatment and prevention strategy has been significantly bolstered by support from some pharmaceutical giants.
iii. The rapid diagnostic test for leprosy infection was developed jointly by IDRI and a Brazilian company.
iv. The diagnostic tests for leprosy are done with a smart phone-based platform.
9. Join the following sentences as directed:
i. I started my research on leprosy more than a decade ago. People at that time thought this disease would eliminate itself over time, (use when)
ii. Leprosy is associated with biblical times. It still remains a problem. (Use although)
iii. The new approach of diagnosis is far superior to the traditional method. The traditional method involved clinical and /or microscopic assessment, (use that)
iv. A decade has passed since the leprosy vaccine was developed. Now we are going to conduct human clinical trials of leprosy, (use after)
v. We will soon have the tools to finally eliminate leprosy. People around the world now believe this. (Use that)
10. What does Mr. Reed mean when he says:
a. People thought this chronic infectious disease would eliminate itself.
b. We are also attacking leprosy in two different ways.
c. We're right on the course of human clinical trials.
d. We can identify which people will likely progress to disease.
e. The person is positive for leprosy.
If you want to read the next lesson of this unit please click the link below:
Lesson 3: Scientific Breakthroughs We Are Waiting For-I
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