Is a highly infectious viral disease that may attack the central nervous system and is characterized by symptoms that range from a mild non-paralytic infection to total paralysis in a matter of hours; also called polio or infantile paralysis.
A highly infectious disease caused by a virus that invades the nervous system and causes paralysis.
A disease caused by a virus infecting the motor nerves in the spinal cord.
An infection of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord caused by a virus which attacks the motor neurones and can lead to paralysis.
A severe, highly contagious disease caused by a virus that inhabits the nose, throat, and intestinal tract and is spread from person to person, by affected people or by unaffected carriers. In mild cases, which might last only a few days, people with polio have fever, sore throat, nausea, headache, stomachache, and often pain and stiffness in the neck, back, and legs. More severe cases, called paralytic polio, start the same way but often involve severe muscle pain and paralysis as soon as the first week. About half of the people with paralytic polio recover with only mild disabilities, sometimes none, but the rest may suffer permanent paralysis and occasionally even death. Adults who remember the days before the 1954 discovery of the first polio vaccine by Jonas Salk recall the fear among parents of young children, as epidemics of polio swept many regions, leaving many children disabled and dependent on orthopedic devices for mobility and often on ventilators (“iron lungs”) for breathing. Fortunately, use of the oral polio vaccine (Sabin vaccine) and (less often today) the inactivated polio vaccine (Salk vaccine) have made cases of polio extremely rare in those parts of the world, such as the United States, where immunization is widespread.
Infectious disease that affects the central nervous system. It is caused by the poliovirus and was once epidemic in many parts of the world, but now is largely prevented by vaccination with Salk or Sabin vaccines. Many infections are asymptomatic; some produce only mild symptoms of fever, malaise, headache, and gastrointestinal upsets; others cause paralysis, most often of the lower limbs. Treatment is largely symptomatic. Also called poho; infantile paralysis.
Inflammation of the gray matter of the brain caused by a virus, often resulting in spina! and muscle deformity and paralysis.
An infectious virus disease affecting the central nervous system. The virus is excreted in the feces of an infected person and the disease is therefore most common where sanitation is poor. However, epidemics may occur in more hygienic conditions, where individuals have not acquired immunity to the disease during infancy. Symptoms commence 7-12 days after infection. In most cases paralysis does not occur: in abortive poliomyelitis only the throat and intestines are infected and the symptoms are those of a stomach upset or influenza; in nonparalytic poliomyelitis these symptoms are accompanied by muscle stiffness, particularly in the neck and back. Paralytic poliomyelitis is much less common. The symptoms of the milder forms of the disease are followed by weakness and eventual paralysis of the muscles: in bulbar poliomyelitis the muscles of the respiratory system are involved and breathing is affected.
This disease is caused by a viral infection involving the brain and spinal cord. Since the development of effective vaccines in the 1950s, polio has been practically eliminated in most developed countries. People who have not been fully vaccinated, however, may get the disease: it remains a serious risk for unvaccinated travellers to Africa, Asia or southern Europe. Most reported cases are now from sub-Saharan Africa.
An acute infectious inflammation of the anterior horns of the gray matter of the spinal cord.
Also known as polio, this is a highly contagious illness triggered by the polio virus. It generally manifests mildly, but in severe instances, it targets the brain and spinal cord, potentially leading to paralysis or even death.
The virus spreads through contaminated food via the feces of infected individuals. Airborne transmission is also possible. In nations with inadequate hygiene and sanitation, most children acquire immunity by getting infected at an early age, often without severe symptoms. In countries with improved sanitation, this pattern is disrupted, and if children remain unvaccinated, outbreaks can arise. Nevertheless, in the UK, polio has become exceedingly uncommon due to a comprehensive vaccination initiative.
The majority of infected children display no symptoms. Yet, in some cases, there is typically a period of incubation lasting from seven to 14 days, followed by the onset of mild fever, sore throat, headache, and vomiting.
The majority of children recover fully within a few days. However, in some cases, there may be an inflammation of the meninges (the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord). This can result in symptoms like fever, intense headache, stiff neck and back, and muscle aches, sometimes accompanied by widespread muscle twitching. In a minority of cases, significant paralysis, often affecting the legs and lower torso, can develop within a few days. If the infection extends to the brainstem, the individual may experience difficulty or even inability to breathe and swallow.
The diagnosis is typically established using a sample of cerebrospinal fluid, a throat swab, a feces sample, or blood tests to detect antibodies against the virus. The presence of paralysis during an acute feverish illness is a distinctive sign of severe polio, often allowing for a prompt diagnosis.
There is currently no effective medication for treating polio. Patients with nonparalytic cases typically require bed rest and pain-relieving medications. If paralysis occurs, treatment may involve physiotherapy, and in certain instances, procedures like catheterization, tracheostomy (a surgical procedure to create an opening in the windpipe for a breathing tube), and artificial ventilation may be necessary.
Full recovery is typically achieved after nonparalytic polio. Among those affected by paralysis, over half experience complete recuperation, while less than a quarter are left with significant impairment, and fewer than 1 in 10 individuals succumb to the condition.
In the United Kingdom, polio vaccination is administered around the ages of two, three, and four months, accompanied by a booster shot between the ages of three and five, as well as upon completing school. It’s important for parents and caregivers to ensure that their immunizations remain current.
Swelling of the spinal cord’s grey matter, which comes in various types.