What is polio virus?

What is polio virus?

Polio is a viral disease which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis. The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person. Polio is more common in infants and young children and occurs under conditions of poor hygiene.

What caused polio virus?

Causes. Share on Pinterest Polio is caused by the poliovirus. The polio virus usually enters the environment in the feces of someone who is infected. In areas with poor sanitation, the virus easily spreads from feces into the water supply, or, by touch, into food.

How can polio be prevented?

Polio can be prevented by immunizing a child with approrpiate vaccination. There are currently two effective polio vaccines, the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and the live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV).

What is the history of polio?

Major polio epidemics were unknown before the 20th century; localized paralytic polio epidemics began to appear in Europe and the United States around 1900. The first report of multiple polio cases was published in 1843 and described an 1841 outbreak in Louisiana.

How was polio cured?

Once the virus that causes polio has infected a person, there is no treatment that will cure polio. Early diagnosis and supportive treatments such as bed rest, pain control, good nutrition, and physical therapy to prevent deformities from occurring over time can help reduce the long-term symptoms due to muscle loss.

Why is polio still a problem in some nations?

Polio is a disease that has lifelong health consequences for those infected. The poliovirus is of particular concern to public health because it spreads easily – it can circulate without causing symptoms for weeks, and so can travel great distances, entering polio-free areas by land, sea or air travel.

What is the key symptom of polio?

Paralysis is the most severe symptom associated with polio, because it can lead to permanent disability and death. Between 2 and 10 out of 100 people who have paralysis from poliovirus infection die, because the virus affects the muscles that help them breathe.

What was polio season?

The major outbreaks would start around Memorial Day, as the virus thrived in the heat of the summer months — this was known as “polio season.” At the time it was not known how the disease was contracted, but since the progression was so aggressive during the warmer weather, beaches and swimming pools were closed in an …

When did Polio first appear?

The disease had first emerged in the United Sates in 1894, but the first large epidemic happened in 1916 when public health experts recorded 27,000 cases and 6,000 deaths—roughly a third in New York City alone.

Who found cure for polio?

Jonas Salk became a national hero when he allayed the fear of polio with his vaccine, approved in 1955. Although it was the first polio vaccine, it was not to be the last; Albert Sabin introduced an oral vaccine in the 1960s that replaced Salk’s.

Is polio man made?

The creation of the man-made polio virus came just a month after the World Health Organization had declared polio eradicated from Europe and projected total eradication of the disease by 2005. Last year, only 480 cases were reported in the world.

Did polio come from animals?

We also thought that this awful paralytic disease was caused by some unknown creature(s) in the water. Little did we know then that we were the creatures—poliovirus spreads through human fecal/oral transmission via stool or contaminated food, nor did we know what a virus was.

When did they stop giving polio vaccinations?

OPV was recommended for use in the United States for almost 40 years, from 1963 until 2000. The results have been miraculous: Polio was eliminated from the United States in 1979 and from the Western Hemisphere in 1991. Since 2000, only IPV is recommended to prevent polio in the United States.

What countries still have polio 2019?

“This virus remains in circulation in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Salisbury made the remarks during a World Polio Day celebration in Geneva today. Salisbury also said no WPV1 has been detected anywhere on the African continent since 2016.

Where was polio most common?

Polio remains endemic in two countries Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Does polio have a vaccine?

Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is the only polio vaccine that has been given in the United States since 2000. It is given by shot in the arm or leg, depending on the person’s age. Oral polio vaccine (OPV) is used in other countries.

Why does Pakistan still have polio?

By 1991, only 83 percent of Pakistani children had been vaccinated. Research by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in April 1998 cited a failure to vaccinate, vaccine failure, and inadequate immunization strategies as causes for the continued incidences of polio in this time.

Can you recover from polio?

People who have milder polio symptoms usually make a full recovery within 1–2 weeks. People whose symptoms are more severe can be weak or paralyzed for life, and some may die. After recovery, a few people might develop “post-polio syndrome” as long as 30–40 years after their initial illness.

How many polio survivors are left?

The World Health Organization estimates that 10 to 20 million polio survivors are alive worldwide, and some estimates suggest that 4 to 8 million of them may get PPS.

Can you walk after polio?

Polio often paralyzed or severely weakened the legs of those who contracted the disease. Regaining the ability to walk was thus a significant measure of recovery from the disease. However, walking meant more than the physical act itself.

How long does a polio vaccine last?

Booster doses of the vaccine are recommended every 10 years for at-risk adults.

Does polio only affect the legs?

The virus may affect muscles on both sides of the body, but more often the paralysis is asymmetrical. Any limb or combination of limbs may be affected – one leg, one arm, or both legs and both arms.

How can I improve my polio legs?

Treatment

1. Energy conservation. This involves pacing your physical activity and resting frequently to reduce fatigue.
2. Physical therapy. Your doctor or therapist may prescribe exercises for you that strengthen your muscles without fatiguing them.
3. Speech therapy.
4. Sleep apnea treatment.
5. Medications.