What is Polio?

Poliomyelitis, usually known as polio, is a viral condition that can result in paralysis and other serious health consequences. It is caused by the poliovirus, a highly contagious virus disseminated through contact with an infected person’s faeces (stool) or respiratory secretions such as saliva or nasal mucus.

Polio is more common in children under the age of five and is more prevalent in regions with poor hygiene and sanitation. It can produce symptoms such as fever, lethargy, headache, muscle discomfort, and vomiting. In some situations, it can result in lifelong paralysis.

Polio can be prevented with vaccination, and numerous vaccinations are available that are effective against the disease. Polio was once a major public health danger, but it has been effectively eradicated in most parts of the world because of massive immunisation efforts. However, it remains prevalent in a few countries, and efforts to eradicate it internationally are ongoing.

Approximately 70% of poliovirus-infected patients have no symptoms. For 2 to 5 days, about 25% of people experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, and weariness. Between 1% and 5% of those infected with poliovirus develop an infection of the brain or spinal cord covering (meningitis). One in every 200 infected people has muscle weakness or paralysis, which usually happens 1 to 3 weeks following poliovirus infection. Polio patients may experience muscle weakness or paralysis in the muscles responsible for limb movement (legs, arms, or both), breathing, swallowing, or speaking.

The postpolio syndrome is a noncontagious disease that affects 25% to 40% of polio survivors 15 to 40 years after their first illness. The postpolio syndrome is characterised by muscle weakness, joint discomfort, and mental and physical exhaustion.