The world has almost eliminated polio which has no cure and can permanently cripple or kill you

Photo Credits: National Geographic, Guardian Nigeria

Name
Polio (full name: poliomyelitis)

Transmission

• A highly infectious disease caused by a virus (poliovirus)
• The virus invades the brain and spinal cord and can cause total paralysis in hours
• The poliovirus lives in the throat and intestines and spreads from person to person through contact with infected feces
  • It can spread through inhaling droplets when an infected person sneezes or coughs
  • It can also spread through drinking/eating contaminated water or food
• Mainly affects children under 5 years old

Geography
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria

• It was a global problem until 1988 when the first coordinated polio eradication program began
• Until August 2016, Nigeria was considered polio-free

Incubation Period
7 – 21 days

Signs and Symptoms

72% of infected people do not have any visible symptoms but can pass the virus to others.

Symptoms in the first 2 – 5 days:

• Tiredness
• Headache
• Fever
• Neck stiffness
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Sore throat
• Limb pain

These symptoms usually last 2 to 5 days then disappear. Some people develop more serious symptoms:

• Meningitis
• Paralysis of arms and/or legs (can lead to permanent disability and death)

Diagnosis
Lab testing of samples of throat, and feces, or cerebrospinal fluid

Treatment

• There is no cure
• Long-term symptoms can be reduced if supportive treatment such as pain control, good nutrition, and physical therapy are used
  

Prognosis

• Less than 1% of people end up with irreversible paralysis
• Among those paralyzed, 5% to 10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized
• 15 to 40 years after recovery, new muscle pain, weakness, or paralysis can occur and is called post-polio syndrome

Prevention: What Can You Do?
Ensure you and your loved ones get the vaccine because it is the best way to protect yourself from the disease and stop the spread between people

Polio In the News

• Nigeria: Renewed Onslaught Against Polio
• Vaccine drive targets 41 million African children as Nigeria fights virus

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/polio/
http://www.who.int/topics/poliomyelitis/en/