在 COVID-19 成為全球大流行 (pandemic) 的傳染病後，如何有效篩檢確診病患，一度成為討論的熱點。
疫情爆發初期，國內有些縣市首長主張要普篩（全面篩檢），找出隱藏的新冠肺炎病例，不過，疫情指揮中心說明，全面用聚合?連鎖反應 (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) 檢驗來為全民普篩，將耗費近七百億元公帑和醫療資源，不符合效益。
根據衛福部長陳時中的說法，用準確度高的 PCR 方式對全國 2300 萬人普篩，平均一人 3000 元，總額將高達 690 億元。以當時的盛行率萬分之 18，即使不用人人普篩，以看似健康的人口1800 萬人計算，也需要花費 540 億元，才能找出當中的 3 萬 2577 人無症狀感染者，其中還有 1797 人屬於「偽陽性」，即使沒有得病，還是得將他們隔離、再檢測，才能恢復正常生活。
Photo/GRAPHIC courtesy of Bookman l 圖片:書林
雖然也可以用價格較低（200 元／人）的快篩做篩檢，但此舉也需花費約 46 億元，且準確度偏低，偽陰和偽陽性機率更高。
（新冠肺炎）「普篩／全面篩檢」的英文是 widespread coronavirus testing 或 community-wide screening/testing。「快篩」是 rapid testing。篩檢中，可能出現「偽陰性」(false negative) 有患病，但篩不出來，和「偽陽性」（false positive）沒患病，卻篩檢出來。
在醫學檢測上「陰性」(negative) 代表沒有（病或病毒），「陽性」 (positive) 代表有（病或病毒），避免患病與否造成污名化，因此用比較中性 (neutral) 的詞彙來稱呼。至於驗孕 (pregnancy test)，「陰性」代表未懷孕，「陽性」代表懷孕。
Photo/GRAPHIC courtesy of Bookman l 圖片:書林
「盛行率」的英文是 prevalence rate，即患病率，在流行病學中指特定時間內總人口中罹患該病的人口所占比例。在新冠肺炎的篩檢中，「咽喉拭子」是目前國內主流採用的方式，「咽喉拭子」英文是 throat swab，就是以棉棒擦拭咽喉部位，取得上皮細胞，並置入病毒收集瓶。如果是採集鼻咽部位，就叫「鼻咽拭子」(nasal swab)。
另外，「靈敏度」(sensitivity) 與「特異度」(specificity) 也是醫學檢測時所使用的術語，用以衡量該檢測的準確度。特異度是不帶原者 (non-carrier) 中採檢陰性的比例，而靈敏度則是帶原者 (carrier) 中採檢陽性的比例，靈敏度、特異度越高，代表準確度越高。
文章由書林出版公司提供：
www.bookman.com.tw
蘇正隆 — 台灣翻譯學學會前理事長、師大翻譯研究所兼任副教授; 編著《英語的對與錯》，《世紀病毒：必讀防疫英文知識與詞彙》...等
Historians are rethinking the way the Holocaust is being presented in museums as the world marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the last Nazi concentration camps this month. Shocking images of the mass killings of Jews were “used massively at the end of World War II to show the violence of the Nazis,” historian Tal Bruttmann, a specialist on the Holocaust, told AFP. But in doing so “we kind of lost sight of the fact that is not normal to show” such graphic scenes of mass murder, of people being humiliated and dehumanized, he said. Up to this
A: Brazilian jiu-jitsu, known as “BJJ,” has become more and more popular. Even Hollywood stars like Halle Berry and Tom Hardy are obsessed with it. B: Some Asian stars, such as Taiwanese actor Eddie Peng and South Korean actor Lee Joon-gi, have also practiced this martial art. A: BJJ is not just a martial art, but also a combat sport. B: I’ve always wanted to try it, but I’m worried about getting injured. A: Diana Wang, a US doctor of physical therapy, is holding a BJJ seminar at PMA Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in Taipei Friday night. Let’s go check out how we
When people listen to music today, they typically use streaming services like YouTube or Spotify. However, traditional formats like vinyl records have regained popularity in recent times. Vinyl records are circular discs that store music in grooves on their surfaces and are played on a turntable. As the turntable’s needle runs along these grooves, it picks up vibrations and translates them into sound. The history of vinyl records dates back to the late 1800s, but material and technological challenges delayed mass production until the 1950s. Despite early versions having short playtimes and poor sound quality, vinyl records introduced a new era
A: Actually, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is particularly good for small people like you. B: Really? How so? A: According to Diana Wang, a US doctor of physical therapy, the BJJ’s purpose is to help smaller, weaker people defend themselves by using various techniques, such as leverage. B: That sounds interesting. What time does Dr Wang’s BJJ seminar begin tonight? A: The event is scheduled for 7:30pm at PMA Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in Taipei. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. A: 其實你的個子比較小，很適合練巴西柔術呢。 B: 真的嗎？為什麼？ A: 據美國理療醫師王幼瑞博士說，巴西柔術的概念是讓弱小的人，也能利用槓桿作用等技巧防身。 B: 真有趣，王醫師的巴柔研討會幾點開始？ A: 今晚7點半在「台北巴柔運動館」，免費入場自由樂捐唷！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
RSS