New vaccine prevents chikungunya in monkeys, mice

An experimental vaccine provided 100 per cent protection against the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus in primates and mice, offering hope it will work for humans too, a new study found.

There is no known vaccine or treatment for the disease, which has infected millions of people in Africa and Asia and can cause debilitating pain and, in extreme cases, death.

Researchers say human trials will start within a year or two, and that the discoveries made could lead to vaccines for diseases stemming from other so-called alphaviruses.

The discovery comes at a time when global travel and trade, along with climate change, are expanding the habitats of the mosquitos that carry these pathogens.

Scientists led by Gary Nagel, Director of the Vaccine Research Center at the US National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland identified the proteins that give rise to chikungunya.

In laboratory experiments, they created a safe variant of these virus-like particles and immunised rhesus macaques, waiting 15 weeks before exposing the animals to the disease. All the monkeys survived.

In a second set of experiments, the researchers injected a serum containing the antibodies the monkeys had developed into genetically-modified mice that essentially had no immune system.

The rodents were completely protected from what would have otherwise been a deadly dose of the virus.

Published online in the journal Nature Medicine, the study showed that the virus had been suppressed to harmless "background levels" in the vaccinated monkeys.

"The next step is to figure out how to make it compatible for human use. We are in the process of adapting that to a cell line where it could be made and tested in (preliminary) phase one trials," Nagel said.

Chikungunya gets its name from a Swahili word meaning "that which bends up," a reference to arthritis-like symptoms that leave victims stooped. The disease also causes intense headaches and fever.

It is rampant today in India, Thailand and other parts of southeast Asia, Nagel said. PARIS, Friday.

(AFP)

Worksheets

Radio programme for GCE A/L students

English and Foreign Languages branch, Ministry of Education

This programme will be broadcast over the following radio channels. 

Sunday -	 SLBC Kandurata Service 		- 4.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. 
		 SLBC Pirei FM 				- 6.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. 
Monday -	 Jaffna Palali Service			- 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. 
		 Tuesday - SLBC Ruhunu Service 		- 8.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. 
		 Wayamba Handa 				- 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. 
Wednesday - 	 SLBC English Service 			- 3.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. 
		 Thursday - SLBC Sinhala Service 	- 4.00 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. 
		 SLBC Rajarata Service 			- 5.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. 
Friday - 	 Uva Sinhala Service 			- 6.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. 
Saturday - 	 Vidula Radio Service			- 7.30 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. 
		 Uva Tamil Service			- 7.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. 

Before you listen to the radio go through the worksheet carefully and be ready to complete it.

Lesson - 4

Topic - Listening Comprehension

Task I

Instructions: Listen to the dialogue and fill in the blanks in the following sentences using the words/phrases given in brackets.

1. Mary and Joe were lost in a ...................................

(pit, jungle, playground)

2. Joe had fallen into a .........................................

(tree, rock, pit)

3. The pit was ...................................................

(near the rock, under the tree, on the tree)

4. Mary was searching for Joe ....................................

(in the pit, on the tree, everywhere)

5. Joe warned Mary ...............................................

(to come closer, not to come closer, not to go anywhere)

Task II

Instructions: Match the words in column A with the words / phrases in B. Put the correct number in column C. Listen to the lesson and do your corrections.

A B C

1. Pit Look for -----

2. beneath A snare -----

3. search Patient -----

4. Trap A hole -----

5. calm Under -----

Task III

Instructions: After listening to the second half of the dialogue, fill in the blanks in the paragraph given below. You have to use the correct form of the verb that has been given in brackets.

While Mary (1) ....................... (look) for someone, she (2) .................... (meet) a woodcutter. She (3) .................... (ask) him whether he (4) ....................... (can) help them. Woodcutter (5) .......................(ask) her what they (6) ................. (do) in the forest. Mary replied that they (7) ................. (come) on a camp. Mary (8) ................... (direct) the woodcutter to the place where Joe (9) ..................... (be). The woodcutter (10) ...................... (help) him to come out of the pit. At last Joe and Mary thanked the woodcutter and he took them to their camp.

Task IV

Instructions: Match the parts A and B appropriately in the most suitable way.

A B

1. pit The pit she will trap him easily.

2. beneath If you are excited before you the dark green mountains

get the question paper. stood as giants.

3. search I am quite sure. for someone who can climb trees.

4. trap Beneath the bright blue sky. Siripala dug was not enough for our purpose.

5. calm I think you are searching. you must try to be calm and cool.