The dreadful disease that has the entire nation talking about! Poliomyelitis (polio) is a crippling disease caused by a virus which usually enters the body via the mouth and multiplies in the gut. At times it may cause mild gastro-intestinal illness but the most disabling feature is paralysis. it affects the nerves which may result in respiratory paralysis endangering life. As mentioned that it multiplies in intestines, therefore, it gets excreted in stools. If one gets exposed to the stools of a person either due to lack of sanitation or handles the excreta and goes into his own body, one gets infected. Unfortunately, there isn't any cure for polio, it can only be prevented. There are 2 types of vaccines available-
- Killed which is given in injectable form and
- Live which is given in oral form.
As the name indicates live vaccines which has a very rare possibility of being activated inside body, there is a faint chance of vaccination induced paralytic poliomyelitis. Therefore, in most of the developed countries, injectable polio vaccine is administered. We have been able to eradicate the disease mainly because of active surveillance and will power of government to eradicate the disease.
