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West Nile virus first appeared in North America in 1999. And it quickly moved across the continent. Now a study has pinned the proliferation on a particular culprit: robins. The work is published in the journal Science. [A. Marm Kilpatrick, "Globalization, Land Use, and the Invasion of West Nile Virus"]
A variety of animals can serve as hosts for West Nile, but the virus primarily spreads through a few species of mosquitoes that usually feed on birds, and those bird species, which become viral hosts. Robins may not be the most abundant of birds, but mosquitoes find their blood particularly tasty, frequently feeding on them and turning them into viral “super-spreaders.”
很多动物是西尼罗河病毒的宿主，但该病毒主要还是通过当地的一些蚊子来传播，这些蚊子是知更鸟的食物，鸟吃了蚊子，自然也变成宿主了。知更鸟可能不是当地数量最多的鸟类，但是对蚊子来说，它们的血就是美味佳肴，通过不断地吸血，鸟成了这个病毒的超级携带者。
In fact, the virus may be why the once-growing robin population has leveled off. The mosquitoes and birds responsible for West Nile’s spread abound where people also live, raising the odds that a mosquito that picked up the virus feeding on a robin could transmit it to a person.
事实上，该病毒有可能是知更鸟数量始终没多少变化的原因。由于蚊子和鸟的作用，该病毒在人口密集的地方传播开来，这样当地人被携带了病毒的蚊子叮咬过后感染该病毒的几率就增大了。
Knowing that the spread of mosquito-borne disease depends on the insects’ feeding habits could help researchers predict and prevent the spread of new pathogens. As Dickenson said, hope is the thing with feathers. Even if it’s infected.
知道了该病毒的传播途径，是由于鸟的饮食习惯决定的。那么研究人员就有方法来预测和防止这种病毒的传播。狄根森说到，我们的希望就寄托在这些长着羽毛的家伙身上，即便是一只已被感染的鸟。
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