Get Multiple Choice Questions On Polio

Polio mainly affects children. But anyone who hasn't been vaccinated is at risk of getting the disease.

The word poliomyelitis originates from the Greek word “polio” meaning “grey” and “myelon” meaning “marrow.” It is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, a member of the genus Enterovirus, belonging to the Picornaviridae family.

Polio is caused by 1 of 3 types of the poliovirus. It often spreads due to contact with infected feces. This often happens from poor handwashing. It can also happen from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

The oral polio vaccine (OPV) can be administered easily and can protect a child for life. But as long as a single child remains infected, all children not vaccinated are at risk. Failure to eradicate just one confirmed case of polio could result in as many as 200,000 new cases every year ing to WHO.

By the early 1970s most of the world was using Sabin's oral vaccine. Because of its lower cost and long-term efficacy, the World Health Organization included the Sabin vaccine in the packet of subsidized vaccines that it provided to poor countries under the auspices of the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI).

There are two types of vaccine: inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV).

The naturally-occurring poliovirus, called the wild-type poliovirus, has been eliminated in most countries and causes few cases of polio. Another version of the virus, called the vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV), is more widespread and now causes most infections worldwide.

Of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type 1, type 2 and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 1999 and wild poliovirus type 3 was eradicated in 2020. As at 2022, endemic wild poliovirus type 1 remains in two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Polio mainly affects children under 5 years of age. However, anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease. There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented.