Omicron found to grow 70 times faster than Delta in bronchial tissue

 

Omicron變種病毒在支氣管的繁殖速度比Delta快70倍

【摘要2022.2.14.一.自由】◎陳成良

The Omicron Covid variant has been found to multiply about 70 times quicker than the original and Delta versions of coronavirus in tissue samples taken from the bronchus, the main tubes from the windpipe to the lungs, in laboratory experiments that could help explain its rapid transmission.

在實驗室的試驗中，從支氣管（連接氣管和肺的主要管道）提取的組織樣本中發現，Omicron變種毒株的複製速度，比原始毒株和Delta毒株大約快70倍，這有助於解釋為何Omicron毒株傳播速度快。

The study, by a team from the University of Hong Kong, also found that the new variant grew 10 times slower in lung tissue, which the authors said could be an indicator of lower disease severity.

香港大學一個團隊進行的這項研究還發現，該新變異株在肺部組織內的繁殖速度會降低10倍，研究作者稱，這可能意味著病情不會那麼重。

The findings, together with other recent work showing Omicron infects cells more readily, add to an emerging picture that the variant may be intrinsically more transmissible in addition to evading existing immunity.

除了這些研究結果，最近也有其他研究表明Omicron毒株更容易入侵細胞，綜合起來可以看出，Omicron變異株除了可以躲避人體內現有的免疫屏障，而且本質上傳播力可能更強。

新聞辭典

multiply：動詞，指使相乘、使成倍地增加、繁殖。例句：As he climbed up the mountain, the dangers and difficulties multiplied.（危險和困難隨他攀向山頂倍增。）

bronchus：醫學名詞，支氣管，細支氣管。複數形態為bronchi，形容詞為bronchial。例句：Originated in the main bronchi, the bronchial lung cancer known as central lung cancer.（起源於主支氣管、 肺葉支氣管的肺癌，稱為中央型肺癌。)