Basics:
Polio is short for the term poliomyelitis. Polio is a virus that kills nerve cells in your spine, that can cause paralysis. You can get it as a child. Mild cases of polio can cause infection, small illness, and small symptoms. Severe cases can cause infection that can occur in the central nervous symptom, which can lead to paralysis. There are three "types" of polio: types 1, 2, and 3. The only difference between the three types, is that they have a tiny change in RNA sequence. Type two has been stated as eradicated as of late 2015. There haven't been any type three cases since late 2012. Usually, if no cases have been reported in fifteen years, they can declare a virus "eradicated." *to the right, you will see two different views of polio under a microscope |
Where?
The only cases left in the world are found in Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The number of cases has been reduced severely from 1988, with 350,000, to only 22 cases as of 2017. But, with the rising violence in The Middle East, it has been tough for The Global Polio Eradication Initiative to vaccinate every child.
Symptoms:
Mild Virus
Only 28% of the people who acquire the mild virus will show visible symptoms. Those include: sore throat, fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, and stomach pain.
The only cases left in the world are found in Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The number of cases has been reduced severely from 1988, with 350,000, to only 22 cases as of 2017. But, with the rising violence in The Middle East, it has been tough for The Global Polio Eradication Initiative to vaccinate every child.
Symptoms:
Mild Virus
Only 28% of the people who acquire the mild virus will show visible symptoms. Those include: sore throat, fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, and stomach pain.
Severe Virus
People with severe cases of polio may experience loss of reflexes, severe stomach pains or weaknesses, and loose or floppy limbs. Also, people with the severe virus could experience death. *the picture to the left depicts some of the symptoms that could occur if you had a severe case of polio |
Post-Polio Syndrome
Post-Polio Syndrome attacks the same muscles it affected before. Symptoms of this may include: sleep apnea, muscle atrophy, breathing and swallowing problems, sensitivity to cold temperatures, fatigue and exhaustion, and muscle and joint weakness and/or pain.
Post-Polio Syndrome attacks the same muscles it affected before. Symptoms of this may include: sleep apnea, muscle atrophy, breathing and swallowing problems, sensitivity to cold temperatures, fatigue and exhaustion, and muscle and joint weakness and/or pain.
Transmission:
Polio is transmitted through feces and saliva. Polio lives in the human stomach. It can't live anywhere else, so it reproduces there. It then exits the human body, after infecting it. The, the virus affects someone else.
Polio is transmitted through feces and saliva. Polio lives in the human stomach. It can't live anywhere else, so it reproduces there. It then exits the human body, after infecting it. The, the virus affects someone else.
As Dr. Wenger describes it, "[The virus] gets into the sewage or water supply, and other people get the virus that way (through contaminated water, or sometimes through household contact with infected people in the same house or neighborhood.)"
Prevention:
Vaccines The IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine), or the Salk Vaccine was created by Dr. Jonas Salk, in 1955. This is given by needle, and is made up of dead, or inactivated polio strains. *In the graph to the right, it explains that "The polio vaccine was introduced in 1955. That year, there were 13,850 cases of paralytic polio." By 1965, the number of cases of polio decreased severely. |
The OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine), was developed by Albert Sabin. It is used by dropping the vaccine into the mouth. The vaccine is made up of live type 1, 2, and 3 strains of polio.
Most children get their polio vaccine at birth. In other countries, some people don't believe in getting vaccines, or are suspicious of them. So, some children don't get their vaccines right away. Ask your family doctor if you are unsure about your vaccine history. You can learn more about vaccines here: thefighttoendpolio.weebly.com/vaccines.html
View this video from Khan Academy to learn more about polio:
Most children get their polio vaccine at birth. In other countries, some people don't believe in getting vaccines, or are suspicious of them. So, some children don't get their vaccines right away. Ask your family doctor if you are unsure about your vaccine history. You can learn more about vaccines here: thefighttoendpolio.weebly.com/vaccines.html
View this video from Khan Academy to learn more about polio: