Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.
Cepivo ali zdravilo proti novemu koronavirusu?
A vaccine or medicine against a new coronavirus?
Written by Dora Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate
Zadnje čase pogosto slišimo o zdravilih proti bolezni, ki jo povzroča novi koronavirus.
Lately, we often hear about drugs against the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Kako ločimo cepivo od zdravila?
How do we distinguish a vaccine from a drug?
»Cepiv in zdravil ne moremo primerjati, saj popolnoma drugače učinkujejo. S cepivom poskušamo preprečiti bolezen, z zdravili pa bolezen zdravimo,« pojasnjuje specializant infektologije David Zupančič.
"Vaccines and medicines cannot be compared, because they work completely differently. We try to prevent the disease with vaccines, and we treat the disease with drugs, ”explains David Zupančič, a specialist in infectology.
»Bolj svetujemo cepljenje kot poskuse, da bolezen prebolimo in pozdravimo.«
"Vaccination is more advisable than trying to get over and cure the disease."
Covid-19 je virusno obolenje, zato ga ne moremo zdraviti z antibiotiki. Ti delujejo le na bakterijske okužbe.
COVID-19 is a viral disease, so it cannot be treated with antibiotics. These only work on bacterial infections.
Pri virusnih okužbah običajno pustimo, da se imunski sistem spopade z okužbo.
In viral infections, we usually let the immune system fight the infection.
Ob tem blažimo simptome, znižamo denimo telesno temperaturo in veliko počivamo. Tega ne smemo enačiti z zdravljenjem.
At the same time, we alleviate the symptoms, such as reducing our body temperature and resting a lot. This should not be equated with treatment.
Zdravila proti novemu koronavirusu pridejo v poštev le pri hujših potekih bolezni kot zadnja izbira, saj imajo mnogo stranskih učinkov.
Drugs against the new coronavirus are only considered in more severe cases as the last resort, as they have many side effects.
Poleg tega delujejo na različne načine in moramo biti pri njihovi uporabi previdni.
In addition, they work in different ways, and we need to be careful when using them.
V zadnjem času se veliko govori o protivirusnem zdravilu remdesivir, ki zavira razmnoževanje virusa.
There has been a lot of talk lately about the antiviral drug remdesivir, which inhibits the replication of the virus.
Poznamo tudi zdravljenje s protitelesi, ki se tarčno vežejo na virus. Obstaja več vrst protiteles – nekatera pomagajo imunskemu sistemu pri prepoznavanju in uničevanju virusa, druga pa lahko zaustavijo njegovo razmnoževanje.
We also know of treatment with antibodies that target the virus. There are several types of antibodies – some help the immune system recognize and destroy the virus, while others can stop it from reproducing.
V kasnejši fazi, ko lahko pride do pljučnice, so zelo učinkoviti steroidi. Steroidi zavirajo naš imunski sistem, da ne pride do prehudega vnetja, ki lahko povzroči hude poškodbe organov.
At a later stage, when pneumonia can occur, steroids are very effective. Steroids suppress our immune system to prevent excessive inflammation, which can cause severe organ damage.
Če steroide uporabimo prezgodaj, lahko zavremo lastno obrambo proti virusu in poslabšamo stanje.
If we use steroids too early, we can slow down our own defences against the virus and make the condition worse.
»V Sloveniji se za zdravljenje covida-19 uporabljajo steroidi, protivirusno zdravilo remdesivir, infuzije protiteles, v posebnih pogojih tudi druga monoklonska protitelesa. Na poti pa sta še dve zelo obetavni novi protivirusni zdravili, ki ju že nestrpno pričakujemo,« dodaja David Zupančič.
"In Slovenia, steroids, the antiviral drug remdesivir, antibody infusions and, under special conditions, other monoclonal antibodies are used to treat COVID-19. There are two other very promising new antiviral drugs on the way, which we are already looking forward to, "adds David Zupančič.
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