What is poliomyelitis (polio)?
Poliomyelitis is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by three types of poliovirus. The poliovirus is a virus most recognized for its destruction to the nervous system, causing paralysis. The majority of individuals who are infected with polio, however, have no symptoms and few have mild symptoms. Of those persons that do acquire the infection, 2 percent or fewer may develop paralytic disease. Since the advent of the polio vaccine during the early 1950’s, infections from the poliovirus have nearly been eradicated. In the US, there have been no known infectious or “wild” cases of polio since 1979. In countries that are poor, underdeveloped and do not have access to the vaccine, polio is still a concern especially for infants and children. The World Health Organization (WHO) continues its efforts to eradicate the virus worldwide. • Currently in the US, about eight cases of polio are reported yearly. These cases are usually in children and the cause has been traced to the oral po
