你知道嗎？新冠病毒也有“性別歧視”，表現在男性比女性更容易發展成重癥。近日，英國的一項新研究發現，感染新冠病毒并康復的男性體內有更多抗體，他們捐獻的血漿可能有助于治療新冠肺炎患者。

Male coronavirus survivors are being urged to give blood because of evidence that men produce more antibodies, which could make their plasma a more valuable treatment.

男性新冠肺炎康復者被敦促去獻血，因為有證據顯示男性身體能產生更多抗體，這使得他們的血漿成為更有價值的治療物質。

The research, by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), suggests men may hold the key in the battle against the virus.

英國國民醫療保健署血液和移植司開展的這項研究顯示，男性可能握有打贏新冠病毒之戰的鑰匙。

Health chiefs are urging men who have had Covid-19 to come forward and donate blood as part of a national trial to see whether donations can boost the survival of the sickest patients.

衛生官員們敦促感染新冠病毒并康復的男性主動獻血，參與一項全國性試驗，以測試捐獻的血漿能否提高重癥患者的康復率。

Their research shows that 43 percent of male donors had blood plasma rich enough in antibodies, compared with 29 percent of women.

他們的研究顯示，43%的男性捐獻者的血漿富含抗體，相比之下，只有29%的女性捐獻者的血漿富含抗體。

Antibodies are produced when the body's immune system tries to fight off a virus.

當人體的免疫系統試圖擊敗病毒時，抗體就會產生。

Men with Covid-19 tend to produce more antibodies than women with the virus because men are more likely to become seriously ill.

感染新冠病毒后，男性產生的抗體通常比女性多，因為男性更可能發展成重癥。

The trial is assessing whether plasma donations from recovered patients can be transfused into patients who are struggling to develop their own immune response.

這項試驗正在評估已康復患者捐獻的血漿是否能輸入自身免疫系統難以產生反應的患者體內。

Professor David Roberts, associate director for blood donation at NHSBT, said: "We'd still like to hear from anybody who had coronavirus or the symptoms. More plasma donors are needed.

英國國民醫療保健署血液和移植司血液捐獻部副主任戴維·羅伯茨教授說：“我們依然希望收到任何感染過新冠病毒或有過相關癥狀的人的回應。我們還需要更多的血漿捐獻者。”

"But we'd especially want to hear from men. We test every plasma donation and men have higher antibody levels, which means we're more likely to be able to use their plasma to save lives.

“但是我們尤其想得到男性的回應。我們測試了每個捐獻者的血漿，男性的抗體水平更高，這意味著我們更可能用他們的血漿來拯救生命。”

"Initially, your immune system will try and fight off a virus with white blood cells. If you become more ill, your immune system needs to produce more antibodies that neutralise or kill the virus.

“起初，你的免疫系統會試著用白血球去抗擊一種病毒。如果你的病加重，你的免疫系統就需要產生更多抗體來中和或殺死病毒。”

"Our studies, and many others around the world, show men with Covid-19 are more likely to become seriously ill than women. This makes them better plasma donors once they have recovered."

“我們的研究和世界各地的許多其他研究顯示，感染了新冠病毒的男性比女性更可能發展成重癥。一旦他們康復，就會成為更佳的血漿捐獻者。”

Last week it was announced that anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 through the national testing program will be asked to join a blood plasma trial.

上周，英國國民醫療保健署宣布，任何在國家檢測項目中發現新冠病毒檢測結果呈陽性的人將被請求參加血漿捐獻試驗。

NHSBT said people confirmed with the virus through Test and Trace will receive a text message three weeks after their result to see whether they are willing to donate plasma.

英國國民醫療保健署血液和移植司表示，通過新冠肺炎檢測和追蹤系統被證實感染病毒的人將在出結果三周后收到一條短信，詢問他們是否愿意捐獻血漿。

If the trial is successful, being treated with convalescent plasma could become widespread practice in hospitals.

如果這項試驗成功，用康復者的血漿治療將成為醫院廣泛采用的方法。

convalescent[?kɑ?nv??lesnt]: adj. 康復的；恢復期的

英文來源：每日電訊報

翻譯&編輯：丹妮