Polio is an illness caused by a virus that mainly affects nerves in the spinal cord or brain stem. In its most severe form, polio can lead to a person being unable to move certain limbs, also called paralysis. It can also lead to trouble breathing and sometimes death. The disease also is called poliomyelitis.
Polio is an illness caused by a virus that mainly affects nerves in the spinal cord or brain stem. In its most severe form, polio can lead to a person being unable to move certain limbs, also called paralysis. It can also lead to trouble breathing and sometimes death. The disease also is called poliomyelitis.
Causes of poliomyelitis:
Polio is caused by a virus (poliovirus). Poliovirus infects your throat and intestines, causing flu-like symptoms. It can then spread to your brain and spine, causing paralysis.
Poliomyelitis, also known as polio, is caused by the poliovirus, a highly infectious virus that belongs to the Picornaviridae family:
Transmission:
The virus is spread through the feces or mucus of infected people. It can enter the body through the mouth or nose and multiply in the throat and intestines. The virus can also contaminate hands, utensils, food, and water.
Incubation period:
The incubation period, or the time from infection to the development of symptoms, is usually 7–10 days, but can range from 4–35 days.
Symptoms of poliomyelitis:
Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness of the neck and pain in the limbs. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). Among those paralysed, 5–10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.
Symptoms of poliomyelitis, or polio, can include:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Limb pain
- Sore throat
- Stomach pain
- Decreased appetite
- Constipation.
However, most people who are infected with polio do not have any symptoms. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 21 days after infection.
Polio is a highly contagious viral disease that affects the nervous system. It can lead to muscle weakness or paralysis, and in severe cases, amputation may be necessary. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented with the polio vaccine.
Treatment of poliomyelitis:
There is no cure for polio, but treatments can help manage the consequences of severe muscle weakness:
- Physical therapy: Can help with arm or leg weakness, and may improve long-term outcomes
- Occupational therapy: Can help with arm or leg weakness
- Heat: Can stimulate muscles
- Antispasmodic drugs: Can relax affected muscles
- Intensive care: Can assist with breathing
- Recreational therapy: Can reduce stress and help patients learn how to participate in group activities
- Drugs like Bethanechol: Can relieve urinary retention
- Antibiotics: Can treat complications like pneumonia
Other treatments may include: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and Shoulder arthroplasty.
The best way to prevent polio is through vaccination:
- The CDC recommends that children get four doses of the polio vaccine
- There are two types of polio vaccines: oral and inactivated
- Both vaccines are safe and effective.
