Polio

Polio is a highly contagious viral infection that affects the central nervous system causing poliomyelitis. In its more severe cases, infection can cause paralysis, breathing difficulties and death.

What Are the Symptoms?

Polio produces no symptoms in 95% of cases. Infection usually appears in three forms. Symptoms mimic a mild upper respiratory infection, including fever, sore throat and diarrhea. A more serious form causes neurological symptoms, such as light sensitivity and stiffness of the neck. In severe cases, known as paralytic polio, symptoms include muscle paralysis and sometimes death.

Where Is It Found?

Polio is considered to be eliminated in the United States, with infection having decreased by over 99% since 1988 due to global immunization efforts. However, polio is still being reported in many developing countries, including parts of the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

How Can You Get It?

Polio is transmitted by infected food, water and by way of person-to-person contact. The virus enters through the nose and mouth and multiplies in the throat and intestinal tract. From there, the virus is absorbed and spread throughout the blood and lymph system.

How Can You Prevent It?

Currently there is no cure for Polio, which means the virus can only be prevented. The polio vaccine should be given multiple times and can do much to protect a person for life.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

All travelers to areas where poliomyelitis is commonplace should receive the one-time booster dose for the polio virus, especially if the last dose of the polio vaccine was more than ten years ago.

What To Expect Following Immunization

The most common adverse reactions to polio include soreness and redness at the site of injection, though these usually disappear within a few days.

Polio Factoid

Polio is more likely to affect children, pregnant women and the elderly and is most common in the summer and fall seasons.