今后你咳嗽或打喷嚏时，就有充分的理由捂住嘴了。
As many as 20,000 viruses are expelled in an average cough, which may be sufficient to infect many people--particularly those who are not vaccinated。
每咳嗽一次平均会释放多达2万个病毒，这足以让很多人感染——尤其是那些没有进行预防接种的人。
Julian Tang, a consultant at Singapore's National University Hospital's Division of Microbiology, said as many as 3,000 tiny droplets are produced in a standard cough。
新加坡国立大学附属医院微生物科的顾问Julian Tang说，一次普通的咳嗽能产生3000个微滴。
Using previous research on influenza viral loads in nasal secretions, and assuming that each coughed airborne droplet measures between 1 to 5 micrometers in diameter, that adds up to many, many viruses in a single cough。
根据此前有关鼻腔分泌物中流感病毒载量的研究，并假设每个咳出的通过空气传播的微滴的直径在1至5微米之间，那么一次咳嗽产生的病毒量就非常之多。
"Based on this research and assuming about 3,000 droplets are produced per cough, this range of influenza viruses produced per cough is about 195 to 19,500," Tang said。
Tang说：“根据该研究，并假设每次咳嗽会产生约三千个微滴，那么一次咳嗽产生的流感病毒量约在195到19500个之间。”
He added that this figure of 3,000 droplets refers to those that remain suspended in the air for considerable periods--long enough to infect people。
他补充道，这三千个微滴指的是那些长时间悬浮在空气中的微滴——它们存留在空气中的时间足以感染人群。
" Larger droplets carrying influenza viruses may also be produced during a cough, but these will fall to the ground relatively quickly and will no longer be considered to be significant in the airborne transmission of influenza," he said。
他说：“咳嗽可能也会产生较大的携带流感病毒的微滴，但这些微滴会相对较快地落到地上，所以对流感在空气中的传播几乎不起作用。”
With a new N1N1 influenza virus spreading around the world, governments in many countries have revived advertisements entreating people to observe personal hygiene。
眼下一种新型的N1H1流感病毒正在全球广泛传播，很多国家的政府纷纷重新打出广告，提醒人们注意个人卫生。
However, experts are uncertain as to what constitutes an infective dose when it comes to influenza viruses。
然而，专家们也不能确定多少流感病毒能让人感染。
But as a guide, previous research has found that it takes just one to 10 organisms to cause viral hemorrhagic fevers, and 10 to 100 organisms to cause viral encephalitis。
但此前的研究发现，仅1至10个微生物体就可导致病毒出血热，10至100个微生物即可导致病毒性脑炎，以上数字可以作为一个参考。
责任编辑：虫虫
