Poliomyelitis also known as infantile paralysis is an infectious viral disease that affects the spinal cord or a part of the brain. The virus is transmitted through nasal or throat discharges produced from coughing or sneezing and by contact with feces and contaminated water, virus in the intestine then multiplies in the intestine and from there it can invade the nervous system. Infants and children are commonly affected by this disease, but the number of adults affected by polio is increasing. Polio disease can be serious and even fatal.

Effect of Polio: A serious form of Polio can cause weakening of the muscles that can lead to partial or complete paralysis. These conditions happen when the virus attacks the nerve cells that control the muscles of the body. Nerve cells may only suffer slight damage, or it may be totally destroyed. When a nerve center is destroyed, the muscles that it controlled become paralyzed. The muscles of the legs, arms, and back are the most affected because the nerves that control these muscles originate in the spinal cord.

Symptoms:

• Early symptoms of polio are similar to those of other viral infections, it includes; slight fever, headache, dizziness, nervous irritability, and vomiting.

• Skin can become tender and sore.
• Stiffness and pain in the back and neck, and pain in the arms, legs, or abdomen.
• Muscles may be tender and spasmodic (subject to involuntary contractions).

Treatment and Control. There is no cure for polio but there are ways to control the progress of this disease.

• Extreme muscle tightness and pain are relieved by giving medication and by applying hot packs. If nerve cells are not completely destroyed, muscles may regain their function after the active stage of disease is over.
• Polio survivors with permanent paralysis often can benefit from rehabilitation programs. Healthy muscles can be trained to take over some of the functions of nearby muscles that are weakened by polio.
• Devices like crutches, back and leg braces and wheelchairs are used to avoid muscle fatigue.

Vaccines to Prevent Polio:

• Inactivated polio vaccines - it contains inactivated (dead) polioviruses and is given by injection. Since inactivated polio vaccine is injected, it produces antibodies in the bloodstream, not in the intestine (from where the poliovirus enters the bloodstream). Therefore the vaccine protects against the disease, but does not prevent an initial infection.

• Oral polio vaccine - it contains live attenuated (weakened) polioviruses and is given by mouth. The oral polio vaccine enters the intestine directly, preventing an initial infection as well as producing antibodies in the bloodstream. However, it can still cause polio in rare cases because the weakened viruses can mutate into harmful forms.