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Polio
Infection
The poliovirus is transmitted through food and water contaminated with sewage.
Vaccination
Vaccination against polio is included in the UK childhood vaccination programme. The vaccinations consist of 4 doses of live, attenuated polio vaccine virus, which is given orally at 2, 3 and 4 months, and one dose at 3 to 5 years. There is lifelong protection after the vaccinations.
Inactivated (killed) polio vaccine An inactivated vaccine for injection is used in some other countries and persons, who have never received oral polio vaccination should consider a booster vaccination with this vaccine before travelling to third world countries if the last vaccination was more than 5 years ago.
Symptoms
Most often a mild diarrhoea. Paralysis may be seen in all muscle groups starting as weakness and steering problem in a limb. Serious infections may be accompanied by fever.
Diagnosis
Antibodies in a blood sample. Culture of the virus or detection of virus DNA in a stool sample.
Treatment
Supportive only. No specific antiviral drugs available.
Prevention
Vaccination.
More about polio
Wild polio virus is now only found in certain countries in Africa especially Nigeria, and in India. Cases of vaccine-virus related polio is seen in rare cases, and because of this there is a shift in low risk countries from the oral vaccine to the inactivated vaccine.
Edited 14. November 2007
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