Things To Know About Polio Disease

What is Polio?

Polio, known as Poliomyelitis in the medical world, is a disease which is highly contagious and infectious. It is a disease which has direct implication on the human nervous system which as all of you might know is responsible for making the body carry out various activities. There is no specific age for getting affected by polio but most commonly, it is the infants who get affected by it which is a further cause of worry. There are various symptoms associated with polio which can be easily applied to know when one is suffering from it. Some of the common ones are fever followed by headache, stiffness of various body parts and limb pain.

Who is at Risk?

As mentioned, there is no particular age. Anyone and everyone who is not immunized against it stand a risk of getting it. The immunization is mostly done when the child is below 18 years of age. But boosters may be taken at any time but special care should be taken when visiting abroad to a country where polio is still not eradicated. Polio may be imported from these countries which, if not contained could lead to an epidemic like those seen in the mid 20th century. People who live in close contacts with the infected ones are at major risk as the contagious nature may come in force. Sharing the same food and talking in close proximities may lead to the virus spreading through the oral route.

How does Polio Spread?

Polio has been eradicated in all countries except a few African and Asian ones. Thus, if a person from somewhere else, who happens to be unimmunized visits them, he may stand the risk of getting affected by it. Spreading through oral contacts is of course another way. When a person gets infected with the polio virus, the first implications are seen in the neck area which experiences pain along with mild fever. Soon, the virus may spread to other parts causing partial or complete paralysis. If the sanitation levels in the locality are not good, the chances of polio spreading are even more. Thousands all across America and the world were affected because of unhygienic conditions. According to the reports, had there been proper conditions, the number of deaths from polio would have been very less.

What are the methods of Prevention?

Medically, there are no specific cures for polio. People who get affected by it have no option but to indulge in exercises in hope that the nerves of the various body parts do not get destructed. The polio vaccines are the only prevention measures which have shown drastic reductions in the total cases of polio. OPV and IPV are the two vaccinations available in the market against this disease of which, IPV is considered more effective. Having complete immunization would protect the individual from the most severe of polio viruses but still, there are some who may acquire it if the vaccines fail to have an effect on them.