2014届高考英语二轮复习突破精选：阅读理解46.docVIP

2014届高考英语二轮复习突破精选：阅读理解 1. WASHINGTON — Patients with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, often develop vitamin deficiencies (缺乏). A new study has found that giving these patients a multivitamin with a mineral supplement (补充) helps to fight the disease and slows the disease’s progression. Sub-Saharan Africa has always been the center of the AIDS. In Botswana, despite aggressive prevention campaigns, one out of every four adults is infected with HIV. Professor Marianna Baum based her latest research there. Baum recruited almost 900 newly infected adults who had not yet received the anti-AIDS drugs that target the virus. These adults were then divided into groups that randomly received different combinations of vitamins B, C and E, the mineral selenium (硒) or a placebo (安慰剂). Most patients with HIV become deficient in these vitamins, which help improve immunity (免疫). Baum said she initially thought the multivitamins alone or selenium alone would be effective in strengthening the immune system, but found that incorrect. “We were surprised to find that only the combination was effective,” said Baum. Research shows that when people with HIV receive anti-retroviral drugs (抗逆转录病毒) shortly after infection, they can remain healthy and are less likely to pass the virus to others. For many countries, however, the cost of these anti-AIDS drugs is still prohibitive. Baum said the vitamin and mineral combination treatment should help low income countries better control the virus. “A simple multivitamin supplementation with selenium provided early in HIV disease can actually slow the HIV disease progression and it is safe. It is low cost and it should be provided very early in HIV infection,” said Baum. Baum said the supplements are not meant to replace anti-retroviral therapy, but can help those who cannot obtain the drugs. Dr. Anthony Fauci, a world famous expert on AIDS, disagrees. “I haven’t read the paper, but having taken care of HIV-infected