Important Facts Of Polio Disease

Before we enter a thorough discussion about polio, let me state some important facts about polio which are mostly unknown to a lot of people.

a) Polio is caused by a virus popularly known as polio virus which directly affects the nervous system of the human body.

b) This virus enters the body through the oral route, i.e. the mouth and spreads by consuming contaminated food items which is mainly due to unhygienic conditions.

c) Polio disease can be prevented by making available vaccinations to the people at early age of infancy so that proper immunization may be present in the form of antibodies.

d) This disease is almost extinct and only a handful of cases are reported every year throughout the world.

With these said, you must have gained some basic idea of what polio is all about. The complete name of this disease is poliomyelitis. It is a virus propagated disease which destructs the nerves of a certain area of the body causing temporary or permanent uselessness also known as paralysis.

This virus is in the air and anyone who is not immunized is always at the risk of acquiring it. In the earlier times, when there was no vaccination available, the whole world was prone to it with many casualties. However, now, with the widespread availability, fewer and fewer cases are reported and even those are limited to the developing countries which do not have proper sanitation infrastructure in place. Areas of Africa and Asia are prominent in the list.

The polio virus enters through the oral cavity and enters the intestines. While the main cause is unhygienic conditions, there are some who may get affected by their fellow mates by sharing the same food. Unclean utensils, hands etc. are sources through which the virus may enter the body. Understand that it is not the food and water that spreads the polio but the presence of the virus in them that does it.

There are very few symptoms characterized with polio. Some may not even get the hint of being affected by it while the others will show high traits. Fever and headache are the most common ones with muscle pains cropping up after a certain period. Visiting a physiotherapist becomes very important in such cases and any delays are only going to make matters worse. If heed is not paid to it, the virus may spread to the brain causing complete paralysis of both the internal and the external organs leading to death. The spinal cord also tends to take a hit when the nerve cells stop responding.

The reason why people should immediately visit a doctor is because the symptoms crop only after a significant delay of 15 days from the time of the virus entering the body. Because of the contagious nature, it is even more necessary as a spread of the infection can be detrimental for the society as a whole. Diagnosis of polio takes place by checking the blood and stool of the patient for the quantities of virus present.