Poliomyelitis in adults: causes, symptoms, treatment

Among diseases affecting the nervous system, polio is considered one of the most serious. Fortunately, thanks to medical advances, cases of infection are only episodic and not epidemiological. From this article you will learn everything about what polio is, what are the symptoms and treatment of the pathology, what are the signs of the disease and the causes of the disease.

What is polio?

Poliomyelitis is a viral infectious disease that affects the gray matter of the spinal cord. Sometimes polio is also called infantile spinal palsy and Heine-Medin disease.

The main causative agent of poliomyelitis is poliovirus hominis , which affects the intestinal mucosa, nasopharynx, and nervous system. The virus usually enters the body through the fecal-oral route.

It can easily be introduced into the body through dirty hands or common objects. Once inside, the virus will begin to multiply in the nasopharynx, tonsils, and then penetrate the digestive tract, where it can reside in fecal matter.

If the virus has entered the lymph nodes (cervical or mesenteric), then there is a high probability of entering the bloodstream and infecting the spinal cord and brain.

Classification of the disease

There are several types of polio:

• Abortive. It occurs without any symptoms and does not affect the nervous system;
• Non-paralytic;
• Meningeal;
• Paralytic. May develop against the background of previous types of polio;
• Spinal;
• Potinny. The virus affects the nuclei of the cranial nerves, causing paralysis of the facial and masticatory muscles;
• Bulbar. Most often occurs in adult patients. Affects the brain;
• Encephalitic. Rare form;
• Peripheral;
• In-hardware. The person himself is not sick, but is a carrier of the virus.

Medical history

Poliomyelitis began to be studied in the mid-19th century. The first person to study the virus was the German doctor Heine. In 1840, he first published his own research on the disease.

After Heine, the Russian neurologist Kozhevnikov and the Swedish pediatrician Medin took up the baton. They were able to prove that the infection is independent and also contagious. Unfortunately, an effective method of combating the virus was developed much later.

The development of a vaccine capable of combating the polio virus began in the USSR. A group of scientists (Chumakov, Nikolaeva, Smorodintsev) was able to isolate the polio virus and introduce it into production as a workable vaccine.

A little later, in the USA, A. Sabin, D. Salk and H. Koprowski created a drug that could solve the problems of mass destruction by the virus. Both of these studies marked the beginning of widespread vaccination. By the beginning of the 60s of the 20th century, the incidence of the polio virus decreased almost 6 times, and then it became a rare phenomenon in medicine (only about 100 cases worldwide).

The USSR became the first to completely defeat polio (there was not a single registered case of the disease). M.P. Chumakov founded a research institute, where they were actively producing a vaccine that was supplied to all countries of the socialist camp, as well as to Japan.

Western countries were able to cope with the virus a little later. In 1994, the polio virus was defeated there too. In Europe, this event only happened in 2002.

ICD code

Poliomyelitis is coded A80 in ICD 10.

Prevalence

Since polio vaccination became routine and widespread, the incidence rate has decreased significantly . On average, statistics show that polio is diagnosed in 1% of patients worldwide.

Currently, more than 80% of our planet's population lives in regions officially certified as polio-free. More than 17 million patients have been saved from paralysis, and thanks to the introduction of vitamin A into the body during immunization procedures, doctors have been able to prevent more than 2 million deaths of children.

Prevention of polio

Due to the presence of the polio virus in the patient’s stool, saliva, and urine, he should be isolated for at least six weeks. Children who have been in contact with a polio patient are isolated from other children for three weeks.

To prevent the spread of the disease, mass timely immunization will be used. Vaccination against polio using attenuated polio vaccine provides a person with immunity for three years. Today, polio vaccination is considered the most effective measure to prevent the spread of the disease.

As general measures to prevent the disease, a variety of actions are used, among which it is worth highlighting work to identify all cases of the disease, monitoring the circulation of polio viruses in the external environment, complete vaccination carried out at a precise time, monitoring the quality of the polio vaccine, as well as the process vaccinations.

Causes of polio

Poliomyelitis is a rare disease these days, especially in adults. The risk group mainly consists of children under 5 years of age who have not been vaccinated or have congenital defects of the immune system.

The main routes of infection with the polio virus are the fecal-oral route (i.e. through dirty hands, poor-quality food, water or shared objects).

The virus can localize and multiply in several areas: tonsils, intestinal tract, lymph nodes and bloodstream. In addition, the virus can be transmitted directly from the carrier .

The carrier of the virus may not be sick himself, but at the same time be a carrier. As the virus progresses, it can penetrate the central nervous system, where it affects the spinal cord and then the brain.

The period between infection and the appearance of the first noticeable symptoms is about 10-15 days. However, there are cases of incubation periods that are too short (3 days) and also too long (up to 3 months).

Features of transmission of infection

Poliovirus, which causes poliomyelitis, is spread by the fecal-oral route and has the following transmission routes:

• through dirty hands and common household items to the mouth;
• personal contacts with a sick person when the disease is in both an acute and chronic stage;
• through the air and particles of saliva of a sick person;
• through food contaminated with the virus.

The peak incidence occurs in warm times: late summer and early autumn. The infection exists in most countries of the world. It is most dangerous when the disease occurs in a latent form. In the meantime, polio is transmitted to surrounding people, and the infected person continues to lead an active life and visit the workplace or children's groups.

The virus that causes polio symptoms is highly viable. It does not die when frozen and lives for a long time in water and feces. It tolerates drying well and does not dissolve in gastric juice. Does not withstand exposure to ultraviolet rays and antiseptic solutions.

Consequences of polio

Timely seeking medical help will help avoid the irreversible consequences of developing polio. This is especially true for non-paralytic forms of diseases .

If the patient is infected with the paralytic polio virus, then there is a high risk of muscle atrophy, deformities, and death is also possible.

Even if it was possible to stop the development of the virus, residual complications should not be ruled out : the patient may lose some functions and remain disabled. In such cases, long-term rehabilitation is required to restore or at least improve some lost functions.

People who have been vaccinated rarely get sick with polio, and even if this happens, the disease is easily tolerated, and the risk of complications is almost zero.

GENERAL

At the moment, there are isolated cases of polio, whereas in the past, before mass vaccination, there were epidemics of this disease.
Even at the beginning of the twentieth century in Europe and Africa, due to the increasing incidence of polio, it had the character of a national disaster. In the 1950s, after the rapid introduction of the polio vaccine, the rate of diagnosed outbreaks decreased by 99%, but endemic regions of the disease are still observed in Nigeria and South Asia.

Poliomyelitis is seasonal, with an increase in incidence occurring in the summer and autumn. Children from six months of age to 5 years are especially susceptible to the disease, but cases of infection have also been recorded among adults.

The causative agent of poliomyelitis is poliovirus from the group of intestinal enteroviruses of the picornavirus family (Picornaviridae). There are 3 types of this pathogen. In 85% of cases of paralysis, type 1 poliovirus is diagnosed.

The virus is highly resistant in the external environment: it persists in water for 100 days, and in feces for six months. Exposure to digestive tract juices, freezing and drying does not affect its vital functions. The death of poliovirus occurs during prolonged boiling, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and low concentrations of disinfectant solutions (chlorhexidine, bleach, furatsilin, hydrogen peroxide).

Symptoms of polio

Poliomyelitis practically does not occur in adults. If an adult gets sick, it may mean that he has been carrying this virus within himself for many years. But this is also a minimal percentage of the entire population of the planet.

Symptoms may vary depending on the type of disease.

Non-paralytic polio

• The patient has a high temperature (40ºС);
• Muscle pain appears;
• There is general malaise;
• Lack of appetite;
• Vomiting and nausea;
• Headache;
• A sore throat;
• Emotional swings, irritability;
• Stiffness of the neck and back muscles;
• Meningitis;
• All symptoms may actively develop over 2 weeks and then subside.

Abortive polio

• High temperature (38-39º);
• General weakness;
• Headache;
• Abdominal pain;
• Cough and runny nose;
• Vomiting reflex;
• Redness in the throat;
• Gastroenteritis;
• Enterocolitis;
• Catarrhal sore throat;
• Symptoms of intestinal toxicosis similar to dysentery;
• All symptoms increase within a week.

Meningeal polio

• Heat;
• General malaise, muscle weakness;
• Loss of appetite;
• Abdominal pain of varying intensity;
• Vomiting, nausea;
• Runny nose and cough;
• Redness in the throat, tonsils and palate become coated;

After 2 days, the symptoms subside or disappear altogether, but after another 3 days a relapse occurs with symptoms such as:

• Severe headaches;
• General malaise worsens;
• Pain appears in the lower extremities and back;
• Severe vomiting and dehydration (symptoms resemble meningitis).

Paralytic polio

• 
  Muscle contractions, cramps, weakness and muscle pain;

• The temperature decreases (after a sharp jump in previous types of disease);
• Muscle weakness increases;
• Muscle tone and muscle reflexivity decrease;
• Paresthesia is observed (sensitivity is impaired, tingling, goose bumps, and numbness are felt);
• After some time, all these symptoms subside, but joint deformities, paralysis, muscle atrophy and/or curvature of the spine remain.

Spinal polio

• Heat;
• General malaise, lethargy, drowsiness;
• Muscle weakness;
• Headache;
• Irritability and increased excitability;
• Pain in the lower extremities;
• There are symptoms resembling rhinitis, pharyngitis or bronchitis;
• Asymmetry of paralysis;
• Muscle hypotonia;
• Tendon reflectivity decreases.

Sweating polio

• Asymmetry of the facial muscles appears;
• The corner of the mouth stretches towards the healthy side;
• The eyelids do not close completely;
• Nasolabial folds are smoothed;
• The palpebral fissures widen;
• Horizontal wrinkles disappear on the forehead.

Bulbar polio

• Difficulty swallowing;
• Change in voice (hoarseness, vibration in the voice);
• Vasomotor disorders;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Hiccups appear;
• The mucous membranes and skin begin to turn blue;
• The patient experiences increased anxiety and restlessness;
• VSD develops.

Encephalitic polio

• Confusion in consciousness;
• Voluntary movements become limited;
• Convulsions appear;
• Speech disorder;
• Involuntary movements of various muscle groups;
• Coma or stupor;
• VSD.

Poliomyelitis in children

Poliomyelitis in children occurs in various forms. It is not always possible to make a diagnosis, as the signs may be nonspecific. Parents may not even know that their child has suffered from polio. However, there are very severe forms of the disease, with classic neurological symptoms, according to which an experienced doctor will definitely suspect infection with the polio virus.

The latent (incubation) period of infection lasts from 5 days to 5 weeks. On average it lasts about two weeks. With the disease “poliomyelitis,” the symptoms depend on the form of infection, of which there are several.

• Inapparent form of infection

In other words, this form of infection can be called healthy virus carriage. Such a diagnosis can only be made in a laboratory. This form of the disease is rather of scientific interest, since the carrier of the virus himself does not complain about anything and is not dangerous to others. The virus remains in the intestine and does not go beyond it.

• Abortive form of the disease

It is very difficult to suspect polio in this form, since there are no typical symptoms of the disease; the entire infection is hidden under the guise of an acute respiratory disease (ARI). The child develops a slight increase in temperature, weakness, loss of appetite, cough, runny nose, discomfort in the throat, and intestinal disorders. There are no neurological symptoms of polio. The child gradually recovers on his own and requires only simple symptomatic treatment.

• Non-paralytic poliomyelitis (meningeal form)

The disease occurs in the form of serous meningitis. Characterized by an acute onset of the disease, in which the child becomes ill very quickly. He is bothered by headaches, high fever, and frequent vomiting. During the examination, the doctor or paramedic notes positive meningeal symptoms in the patient, which is one of the criteria that the child has inflammation of the membranes of the brain.

With this form of the disease “poliomyelitis” the symptoms are vivid, there are signs of involvement of the nervous system in the process. I am concerned about pain along the nerve trunks. It is difficult for a sick child, he refuses to eat, lies down almost all the time, sleeps, and often cries. Muscle twitching may be observed. This is typical for the first days of illness. There may be some eye symptoms. Paralysis does not occur with this form of polio in children. The child makes a full recovery.

• Paralytic polio

The symptoms of polio in this form of the disease are even more striking; they change in different periods of the disease. In total, it is customary to distinguish four periods of paralytic poliomyelitis.

The preparalytic period of the disease lasts from one to six days. The disease begins with pronounced symptoms of intoxication and high temperature. Sometimes signs of digestive tract disorder appear in the form of constipation or diarrhea. A number of sick children have catarrhal symptoms (sore throat, runny nose, cough).

After a couple of days, the child develops neurological symptoms: pain in the back, arms, legs is noted, sensitivity to various irritants increases, and symptoms of irritation of the meninges become positive. Because of such unpleasant sensations, the sick person tries to lie still.

The paralytic period lasts from a couple of hours to two weeks. Its symptoms vary depending on the specific location of the nervous system lesion.

When neurons located in the anterior horns of the spinal cord, which are responsible for movement, are damaged, a spinal infection develops. Within a week from the onset of the disease, the child develops paralysis. They appear suddenly and develop very quickly. The nature of the paralysis is flaccid, muscle atrophy is present. Sensitivity does not change. It is characteristic that the proximal parts of the extremities (shoulder, thigh) suffer more.

With polio in children, it is not just the limbs that are affected. The intercostal muscles and diaphragm are often involved in the process. In this case, signs of respiratory failure appear.

There is another form of the disease - bulbar. The child has a very pronounced intoxication syndrome, headache and vomiting. Neurological disorders appear very quickly: the child cannot swallow normally, chokes, thin food gets into the nose, the tone of the voice changes (hoarse, hoarse). Since the baby cannot swallow food and saliva normally, his breathing appears bubbling. In some cases, the disease goes so far that the vasomotor and respiratory centers are damaged, paralysis of the diaphragm occurs, which can lead to the death of the baby.

The third form of infection is called pontine. In this case, the bridge in the brain and the nuclei of the cranial nerves, which are located there, are damaged. When the facial nerve is damaged, paralysis of the facial muscles is observed, which is manifested by facial asymmetry, different sizes of palpebral fissures and other signs.

The recovery period for polio in children lasts a long time, from one to three years. The disease makes itself felt for a long time, namely: muscle tone remains reduced for a long time, reflexes from the limbs are not evoked, muscles remain atrophied. Muscle functions are restored gradually and unevenly. Because of this, the consequences of polio include various deformities of the limbs, stiffness (contractures), retarded growth of the affected limb, and lameness.

During the period of residual effects of the disease “poliomyelitis”, consequences are visible that remain with a person for life. Such consequences include persistent flaccid paralysis, deformities of the limbs, shortening of the arms or legs, and atrophy of the muscles of the limbs.

Diagnosis of polio in children

Diagnosis of polio in children is based on medical history, examination of the patient and study of his complaints, as well as on the results of additional studies.

Nonspecific methods for diagnosing polio are as follows:

• General blood analysis

In this analysis, there may be no pathological changes or a moderate increase in leukocytes due to neutrophils.

• Lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid examination

One of the additional diagnostic methods is the study of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture. Pathological changes in the cerebrospinal fluid occur in non-paralytic and paralytic poliomyelitis.

Cerebrospinal fluid flows out under higher pressure, cytosis (cell number) moderately increases due to lymphocytes, glucose does not increase. Protein in the cerebrospinal fluid may increase in the paralytic form of polio.

• Electromyography

This instrumental research method makes it possible to identify lesions localized in the anterior horns of the spinal cord already on the first day after the onset of the first symptoms.

• Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the spinal cord

This study is informative after the acute period of the disease, when the patient begins to recover. It can reveal spinal cord atrophy, which depends on the level of damage.

Specific methods for diagnosing polio are aimed at identifying the pathogen itself or antibodies to it. These include the following methods:

• Virological research

For this study, feces and cerebrospinal fluid are collected from the patient. Moreover, a double examination of feces is required for a patient admitted to the hospital. The material is taken for analysis two days in a row.

• Express diagnostics

To quickly diagnose an infection, an immunofluorescent assay (ELISA) is used, which can be used to detect the virus itself in the patient’s stool or cerebrospinal fluid.

• Serological study

This polio test detects antibodies to the polio virus. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid are taken for analysis. The study is carried out repeatedly, since it is necessary to determine the dynamics of the growth of antibodies and determine type-specific antibodies.

Treatment of polio in children

• If a child is suspected of having polio, he is hospitalized in the infectious diseases department. It must be placed in a separate box.
• It is very important to maintain strict bed rest. The child needs peace.
• In the acute period, thermal procedures on the affected limbs are effective. These include hot wrapping, applications with paraffin and ozokerite.
• To relieve severe pain and alleviate the symptoms of intoxication, the use of analgesics and antipyretics is justified.
• As therapy aimed at the causative agent of the disease, recombinant interferons are prescribed (usually in tablets or suppositories).
• Sometimes diuretics are prescribed to relieve intracranial pressure.
• From the third week of illness, drugs are used that improve neuromuscular conduction (prozerin, galantamine).
• During the recovery period, it is very important to carry out therapeutic exercises and massage. Also, a good effect is observed after sanatorium treatment.

Complications of polio in children

An alarming reaction to the diagnosis of polio is completely justified, because parents, as a rule, have heard about the serious consequences of the disease. Abortive and meningeal forms of the disease occur without consequences.

With the disease polio, the consequences and complications remain after the spinal form of the infection. Some disorders resolve over time. Others stay for a long time or for life. The most severe complications arise from deep injuries. The child may be left lame or have permanent paresis or paralysis of the facial nerve and other cranial nerves.

A fatal outcome may occur in the patient if the vital centers of the brain are involved in the process. Aspiration pneumonia often develops against the background of severe respiratory disorders. Complications such as destructive processes in the lungs and atelectasis were also noted.

Diagnosis of the disease

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Next fact

The difficulty of diagnosing polio lies primarily in the fact that the polio virus is similar in its symptoms to some other types of herpeviruses and enteroviruses . It is important to exclude tick-borne encephalitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, myelitis and serous meningitis in the first stages

Most often, it is quite difficult to identify poliomyelitis if it occurs in a non-paralytic form or a preparalytic form (i.e., there are no or have not yet shown symptoms of damage to the nervous system).

In order to determine as accurately as possible whether the patient has or does not have the polio virus in the body, a number of laboratory tests are carried out :

• PCR (polymerase chain reaction) - detects the virus in the cerebrospinal fluid and feces of the patient;
• ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) - isolates poliovirus RNA;
• Serological analysis of plasma;
• , MRI, clinical analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, electroencephalogram - help identify changes in the spinal cord and brain.

Video: “Symptoms of polio”

The causative agent of polio

Poliomyelitis (polio - gray, myelon - spinal cord) is a viral inflammation of the nerve cells of the brain that leads to paralysis. The culprits in the spread of the disease are enteroviruses. This is a family of intestinal pathogens, of which there are up to 60 types: more than 30 varieties of Coxsackie and Echo viruses and three types of polio pathogen. Type 1 is often parasitized. These are simple in structure and very small viruses. They live for a short time in the digestive tract or nasopharynx.

The causative agent of polio, poliovirus hominis, was isolated in 1909 from the spinal cord of a sick person. The virus is characterized by good resistance - at room temperature it dies only after 3 months, tolerates drying and low temperatures, and withstands the action of human digestive juices. Heating to 56 degrees and exposure to ultraviolet disinfectants destroys it within half an hour.

What is the insidiousness of the polio pathogen? These are the duration of the period of virulence (the ability to infect) and the ease of transmission.

Treatment of polio

Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment course for polio. From the very moment the vaccine was invented, medicine no longer needed a course of treatment for the virus. Therefore, if a patient is possibly diagnosed with polio, medications are used that are aimed at eliminating individual symptoms.

Drug treatment

Typically, patients with polio are prescribed the following groups of drugs:

• Analgesics;
• Antipyretic drugs;
• Sedatives;
• NSAIDs;
• Antihistamines;
• Drugs aimed at detoxification.

In addition to the listed groups of drugs, diuretics, antibiotics, antihypoxants, immunoglobulins and drugs to improve neuromuscular conduction may be prescribed..

It is important to ensure that the patient is in the correct position. If the patient develops paralysis, he should be placed on a hard bed without any pillows.

The legs should be slightly bent at the knees and hip joints and placed parallel, the feet should be secured with a splint in a normal (from a physiological point of view) position. Your arms should be spread to the sides and your elbows bent at right angles.

If the patient has a respiratory disorder, he is connected to a ventilator.

After drug therapy, the recovery period begins, which includes exercise therapy, water treatments, physiotherapeutic procedures, and massage.

Recovery period

Depending on what type of polio was diagnosed in the patient, rehabilitation measures are prescribed: exercise therapy, water treatments, physiotherapy, massage .

Each of these types of rehabilitation measures is prescribed only by the attending physician on an individual basis, based on the patient’s clinical picture. All restoration activities are carried out only under the supervision of specialists.

Disease prevention

In the case of polio, the best prevention is routine vaccination . It provides lifelong immunity to the polio virus. Vaccination is carried out first with an inactivated and then with a live vaccine. Vaccination schedules vary from country to country.

Treatment

Therapy depends on the form of pathology. Once the doctor has made the diagnosis, treatment at home is not carried out. The patient requires hospitalization and complete rest, as this reduces the risk of developing severe paralysis.

Treatment with folk remedies is unacceptable. Timely diagnosis allows the doctor to administer convalescent serum and ribonuclease as soon as possible. To reduce the risk of complications, it is important to drink plenty of water.

To relieve symptoms, sedatives and analgesics are used.

Medicines such as antibiotics are used only for lung damage to prevent pneumonia. Traditional methods of treatment include complete rest and sleeping on soft mattresses.

To get rid of paralysis, patients perform exercises prescribed by the doctor every day. Some take place in a bathtub or swimming pool.

Note! It is possible to completely cure polio, but it all depends on the form and methods of therapy.

If you treat the disease in accordance with the doctor's prescription, there is a chance to avoid serious complications of the infection.

Recovery prognosis

The non-paralytic form of the disease usually does not cause serious complications and goes away fairly quickly with timely treatment..

The paralytic form is more dangerous. Complications from the paralytic form of polio can threaten the patient’s normal life and even lead to death.

If the patient has become disabled, he is assigned a long rehabilitation period, after which in most cases some basic functions of the body are restored.

Video: “Can polio be cured?”

Pathogenesis of polio development

Viral particles enter the body through the mucous membranes lining the nasopharynx and gastrointestinal tract.

Subsequently, active reproduction of viruses begins.

Attention. If viruses do not spread through the lymphatic or bloodstream, the infectious process proceeds in the form of a healthy carriage.

If viruses spread throughout the body but do not penetrate the tissues of the central nervous system, the disease occurs in an abortive form.

When viruses cross the blood-brain barrier, meningeal or paralytic forms of poliomyelitis develop.

The causative agents of infection are characterized by the highest rates of tropism for the cells of the gray matter of the brain and spinal cord. Most often, viral particles infect motor neurons (MNs) in the anterior horn of the spinal cord (SC). Less commonly, damage to DN occurs in the cranial nerves, brain stem, etc.

For reference. Damage to the central nervous system is accompanied by severe inflammation and dystrophic damage to cells, leading to their subsequent death.

Clinically this process manifests itself:

• paresis,
• paralysis,
• atony,
• lack of reflexes,
• muscle wasting, etc.

Classification of pathology

Based on the severity of symptoms, polio is divided into two types: typical and atypical. The first option is divided into the following subgroups:

• Non-paralytic (meningeal) . There are no dystrophic changes in bone marrow tissue.
• Paralytic . There are symptoms of damage to the central nervous system (CNS).

The atypical type of pathology is divided into the following subgroups:

• Abortive (visceral) . Accompanied by signs of flu and intoxication of the body. Symptoms disappear after 3-7 days, and no residual neurological impairment is observed.
• Inapparent . The person is a carrier of the virus; there are no obvious symptoms of illness.

According to the degree of development, pathology is divided into mild, moderate and severe forms. When making a diagnosis, the following severity criteria are taken into account:

• severity of the symptom of body poisoning;
• degree of motor impairment.

According to the nature of the course, the following types of poliomyelitis are distinguished:

• Smooth. Virus carriage or abortive form without obvious damage to the central nervous system.
• Not smooth. The patient's chronic disease has worsened, there is a secondary infection, or complications have developed.

Traditional methods of treating the disease

If we talk about folk remedies, it is recommended to use cherry juice. But there are other methods of combating the disease. Syrup from beneficial rose hips is recommended for use at all stages of the disease, and celandine is useful in the acute stage. Take the juice of this wonderful plant from one drop to 10, gradually increasing the required doses. Add milk to the mixture. You can also use 50 g of dry celandine herb. Pour 300 g of boiling water over it and leave for one hour. Take 30 g of this healthy tincture warm several times a day.

Pay attention to aloe. This miraculous plant perfectly restores the necessary processes in the body; it is indispensable for the nervous system. Inject 1 ml of juice subcutaneously into the thigh for a month. Take a break for a month, then repeat the dose - 30 injections of 1 ml in the morning, preferably every day.

For children, it is very useful to administer 0.5 ml of aloe for 4 days, you can also take 5 injections for 25 days, do not forget to take a break for 28 days. Depending on the form of the disease, you can continue the procedure with 14 injections every other day under the skin, 0.5 ml each. Do not forget to regularly consult with your doctor, this will not only help in treatment, but will also prevent you from making any mistakes.

Diagnosis of polio

In addition to characteristic clinical symptoms, special diagnostic tests are very important in making a diagnosis. First of all, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent blood test is performed. It is also necessary to determine the presence of the virus in stool and cerebrospinal fluid using PCR. To determine the localization of the virus, magnetic resonance imaging is performed. Such a serious diagnosis of polio is very important in order to accurately make a diagnosis. After all, the patient must be isolated and placed in a box. This will help not only prevent the spread of the disease, but also avoid the development of complications.

Signs of polio are often similar to other viral diseases. Therefore, it is so important to consult a doctor at the slightest suspicion for a comprehensive examination.

Ways of transmission of the disease

Poliomyelitis infection occurs through the following routes:

1. Airborne. The disease can be transmitted from carriers of the virus and from people suffering from various forms of the disease. The nasal mucosa contains infection for only a few weeks during the acute period of the disease, but feces can be infectious for several months or even longer. This route of transmission of the virus predominates in all respects. It can settle in the lymph nodes of the nasopharynx and begin the reproduction process there. This will be the turning point for the onset of the disease and the onset of the first symptoms.
2. Dirty hands. This is the second method of transmission of infection. It is not very common, but carries the same danger. Unwashed hands, public objects, poorly washed food and even milk carry the risk of illness. Sometimes acute polio can be spread by flies.

In general, the population has a low susceptibility to infection. Among children from six months to 6 years old who contract the virus, only about 1 percent of them get sick.

The highest risk of the disease is in children from 1 to 5 years old, this category accounts for about 80% of all cases in the world.

Newborn babies rarely suffer from this disease. And at an older age, there are mainly latent forms that only develop lasting immunity to the disease and do not give a chance of re-infection. Poliomyelitis is also diagnosed in adults.

Prevention

Specific prevention of polio has now been developed, based on the rules for routine immunization of children.

There are two types of vaccines. The first implies the presence of living, but weakened or damaged pathogens, while the second contains dead microorganisms. Greater preference is given to the live vaccine, since it more strongly stimulates the immune system, humoral mechanisms are activated, and antibodies appear in the blood.

Preventive measures are carried out starting from the age of three months. Three vaccinations are given at intervals of one month. Further, to maintain the immune status of children, it is necessary to be revaccinated at one and a half years, the next time at two years, and the last at six years. The main contraindications to immunization are weakened immunity due to a recently cured disease and a possible allergic reaction. In the first case, after the baby’s condition improves, it is recommended to get vaccinated.

Nonspecific prevention includes compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards and teaching children how to comply with them.

Complications after polio

The consequences of polio are the replacement of dead cells with another type of tissue (glial). A scar appears in their place. The absence of nerve cells leads to loss of vital functions. Depending on where the inflammatory process occurred, the following options are distinguished:

• spinal - flaccid paralysis of the limbs, neck, torso;
• bulbar - impaired swallowing, speech, breathing - this is a very dangerous complication of polio;
• damage to the facial nerve;
• brain damage.

In many ways, the outcome of the disease is determined by the prevalence of the lesion, timely treatment and a serious attitude towards rehabilitation. If persistent paralysis develops, this can lead to disability.

Combination vaccines

Single vaccines are used less and less often, usually in cases where it is impossible to vaccinate against diseases provided for in combination vaccine complexes. It is much safer for a child to be vaccinated with vaccines that include protection against several diseases. Polio is included in such inactivated vaccines as Infanrix IPV, Infanrix Hexa, Pentaxim and Tetracok.

DTP and polio vaccinations are carried out as follows: an injection is made with the Russian DTP vaccine and OPV drops are immediately given to the baby. All of the above complexes include protection against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio. Infanrix Hexa, in addition to the above diseases, protects against hepatitis B.

Risk factors for infection

Anyone who has not undergone routine vaccination has a chance of getting polio. The following factors increase the likelihood of infection:

• weakened immune system;
• pregnancy;
• absence of tonsils;
• intramuscular injections;
• travel to endemic countries - Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Syria, Afghanistan;
• living together with a carrier of the virus;
• stressful situations;
• excessive physical activity.

How are children vaccinated?

However, these problems were not the only ones. Despite all the advantages of OPV, it quickly revealed a serious drawback. In extreme cases—2 to 4 per 1 million—in children who are initially immunocompromised, OPV can cause vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP). The body of these children is not able to fight even the weakened virus contained in the vaccine.

At first, these cases did not attract much attention because the incidence of wild poliovirus was much higher. But by the 1990s, VAPP had become the leading cause of polio in the United States, raising questions among health officials about the ethics of using a live vaccine.

They learned to deal with the problem by changing the vaccination schedule: a new generation of IPV became available - and infants are vaccinated with a killed vaccine, and revaccination is carried out with a live one. The fact is that a live vaccine is necessary to break the chain of spread of wild strains of poliovirus, and refusal of it is impossible for areas where they circulate or where they can enter from other countries.

In Russia, where wild poliovirus was last introduced from Tajikistan in 2010, the first two polio vaccinations are given with a killed vaccine, and OPV is used for subsequent revaccinations. Children from risk groups are exclusively vaccinated with IPV.

However, scientists were in for an even more unpleasant discovery: Sabin vaccine strains, evolving in the susceptible part of the human population, are able to restore their original wild qualities, primarily pathogenicity and virulence. Polioviruses that arise in this way are called vaccine-related polioviruses (VDPVs) and are equated to wild strains that can cause paralytic polio and be transmitted.

Polio vaccination is given to people regardless of age. Indeed, in the absence of immunity, a person can easily become infected with an infection and contribute to its further spread: the patient releases the virus into the environment for 1-2 months from the moment the first symptoms appear. After which the pathogen quickly spreads through water and food. Doctors do not exclude the possibility of the polio pathogen being transmitted by insects.

Therefore, they try to get vaccinated against polio as early as possible, starting from 3 months of age. Immunization is carried out in all countries of the world, which helps to minimize the occurrence of an epidemic.

Vaccination against polio using inactivated drugs is absolutely safe for a child. After all, killed virus particles are not able to provoke the development of infection. However, polio vaccination using OPV can lead to the development of vaccine-associated polio in rare cases when the immunization schedule is disrupted.

The following vaccination regimen will help to almost completely eliminate the development of a severe complication: the first polio vaccination should be given with the IPV vaccine, followed by OPV. This will lead to the formation of immunity in the child before live particles of the virus enter his body.

OPV is produced in the form of pink drops that have a bitter-salty taste. The drug is administered with a disposable syringe without a needle or via an oral dropper. In young children, the vaccine must be applied to the root of the tongue, where the lymphoid tissue is located. At older ages, the drug is dripped onto the tonsils. This helps to avoid excessive salivation and accidental swallowing of the vaccine, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of immunization.

The dose of the drug is determined by the concentration of OPV, 2 or 4 drops. After vaccination, children should not be given water or food for 60 minutes.

When vaccinated with IPV, the drug is administered intradermally. For children under 18 months, the injection is placed under the shoulder blade, for older children - in the thigh area.

The vaccine is usually well tolerated. After the administration of OPV, there may be a slight increase in body temperature and an increase in bowel movements in young children. Symptoms usually develop 5-14 days after immunization and go away on their own within 1-2 days.

When using an inactivated vaccine, the following adverse reactions are possible:

• Swelling and redness of the injection site;
• Increased body temperature;
• Development of anxiety, irritability;
• Decreased appetite.

Parents should be alert to the following symptoms:

• Apathy of the child, development of adynamia;
• The occurrence of seizures;
• Breathing problems, shortness of breath;
• Development of urticaria, which is accompanied by severe itching;
• Swelling of the limbs and face;
• A sharp increase in body temperature up to 390 C.

If such symptoms appear, you must call an ambulance.

At the time of vaccination, the child must be healthy, with normal body temperature, without relapse of the allergic disease. If necessary, the pediatrician can prescribe tests - blood, urine and stool. Parents have the right to examine their child without their appointment and consult with an immunologist.

For a child under one year old, OPV is dripped onto the root of the tongue with a special pipette or syringe without a needle. Here the concentration of lymphoid tissue is greatest. For older children, the vaccine is dripped onto the tonsils. A sufficient amount of pink liquid is 2-4 drops.

The quality of OPV depends on compliance with the rules for its storage. The live vaccine is frozen and transported in this form. After defrosting, it retains its properties for 6 months.

It is important to ensure that the vaccine is delivered accurately so that the child does not swallow it or regurgitate it, otherwise it is necessary to re-instill it. In the first case, the drug will be broken down by gastric juice. After administering the drops, the child is allowed to drink water and eat food after an hour and a half.

The introduction of a foreign substance inevitably causes a reaction in the body. After vaccination against polio, it is considered conditionally normal when the baby develops the following symptoms:

• on days 5-14 the temperature rose to 37.5 degrees;
• there is a bowel disorder in the form of diarrhea or constipation, which goes away on its own after a couple of days;
• vomiting, nausea and weakness appear;
• anxiety increases before bedtime, he is capricious;
• the puncture site turns red and thickens, but its diameter does not exceed 8 cm;
• A mild rash appears, which can be easily treated with short-term use of antihistamines.

General weakness and elevated body temperature after vaccination are considered a normal reaction that will go away on its own after a few days.
Each parent finds the answer for themselves. On the one hand, there are recommendations from the WHO and the country’s Ministry of Health, which clearly insist on vaccination, based on the statistics of mortality from the virus. On the other hand, each baby’s body has its own characteristics, and his parents, having understood the mechanism of action of the vaccine, its composition and consequences, may be afraid to vaccinate.

The former are supported by the majority of pediatricians, immunologists, and heads of children's institutions, who use methods of psychological pressure on parents. The country's legislation protects the interests of the latter, leaving the right to parents to make decisions on the issue of child vaccination.

Usually, a reaction to the polio vaccine does not occur - healthy babies tolerate the vaccination without any complications. In rare cases, an allergic rash and Quincke's edema, loose and frequent stools may appear. But the most dangerous complication is vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP).

The following phenomena may occur in children after vaccination:

• Body temperature may rise slightly. This usually occurs between 5 and 14 days after vaccination.
• Some experience upset bowel movements, diarrhea or constipation in the first few days.

This reaction to the polio vaccine is normal and should not frighten parents. All these manifestations pass quickly and do not require any treatment.

Although this vaccine does not contain live viruses, it can also provoke some reactions in the body. The most common among them are:

• Some people experience redness at the injection site and slight swelling.
• Body temperature may also rise slightly.
• Appetite is impaired and some anxiety occurs.

This polio vaccine has positive reviews and is considered safer. Such conclusions are based on the fact that it simply cannot provoke the development of vaccine polio, it is produced in a single dose, so there is no danger of overdose. The vaccine is in the form of an injection, so it cannot be regurgitated, as happens in babies with OPV drops.

First signs and symptoms, stages

Symptoms of the disease depend on the type of virus. In the in-apparatus form, there are no clinical manifestations; the presence of the virus can be detected using laboratory tests.

Symptoms of the abortive type are similar to the clinical picture of other viral illnesses:

• heat;
• headaches;
• abdominal pain;
• diarrhea;
• weakness.

Recovery occurs after 5-7 days, there are no signs of damage to the central nervous system.

The meningeal type occurs like meningitis and is accompanied by headaches, fever, and weakness of the neck muscles. The patient recovers in 3-4 weeks.

The paralytic form is the most severe. It has several stages:

• Pre-paralytic. General infectious symptoms are observed: fever, rhinitis, sore throat, tracheitis. Then pain in the limbs, spine, confusion, and convulsions are added.
• Paralytic. Comes in 3-6 days. The patient suddenly develops paralysis of the limbs with preservation of sensitivity. Paralysis is usually asymmetrical and uneven. The most dangerous are paresis of the diaphragm and respiratory muscles, leading to the death of the patient. After 14 days, muscle atrophy begins.
• Restorative. Tendon reflexes and motor functions are gradually restored. Some muscles are restored in a mosaic pattern, which leads to delayed limb growth and the development of osteoporosis (if bone tissue is damaged).
• Residual. Residual effects of the disease persist in the form of clubfoot, hallux valgus, scoliosis, and kyphosis.

Who is not recommended for any vaccination?

Pediatricians have a vaccination schedule that they must adhere to. Each vaccination is given at a certain age. The polio vaccine is no exception. The instructions contain detailed information about this. The first vaccination is given to the baby when he is three months old. The second dose of the vaccine should enter the child’s body after another month and a half, and then another vaccination is given at 6 months.

To obtain a stable and reliable effect, revaccination must be carried out; it is done at 18 months and after another two months. The last time the vaccine should be administered to the body is at the age of 14.

In those countries where the virus that causes this disease has not been completely eradicated, the vaccine is given in the maternity hospital. It is not capable of creating long-term immunity, so full vaccination begins at two months.

You need to know that only five-time vaccination can provide reliable protection against this terrible disease. If for some reason the schedule for the vaccine to enter the body is disrupted, then there is no need to start all over again, but you can simply carry out the missing vaccinations.

The polio vaccine can also cause complications. Among them are the following:

• Development of polio due to vaccination. This phenomenon is possible if vaccination is not done according to the rules and with errors, for example, against the background of an infectious disease of the child, developmental defects, or problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
• Development of allergic manifestations in the form of runny nose, skin rashes.

If any suspicious manifestations appear, parents should definitely call a doctor. But most often this polio vaccine has good reviews - children tolerate it easily.

Whatever polio vaccine is used, there are conditions and diseases for which vaccination is contraindicated:

1. Presence of infectious diseases at the time of vaccination. In this case, vaccination can be done only after the body gets rid of the disease and is completely stronger.
2. If there are chronic diseases, then vaccination should be done only during a period of stable remission.
3. The reason for refusing vaccination may be the appearance of severe swelling, high fever, or allergic manifestations after the previous vaccination.
4. Carrying a child.

Vaccines against polio may have different names, but contraindications must be taken seriously, otherwise the absence of side effects and complications cannot be guaranteed. This applies not only to those produced in our country, but also to imported ones.

Until this terrible disease is completely eradicated from the globe, the problem of vaccination will remain relevant. Recently, in the literature and on the Internet, you can find a huge amount of contradictory information. Some argue that vaccinations are harmful, while supporters of another theory claim that they are a panacea for terrible diseases.

It is no wonder that recently many parents have begun to refuse any vaccinations. The polio vaccine also falls into this category. Of course, everyone decides for themselves whether to get vaccinated or refuse it.

But everyone should be aware that refusal to vaccinate can lead to serious consequences if a virus that causes serious illness is suddenly encountered along the way. I would like to advise: before making your choice in favor of vaccination or against it, you need to carefully study this issue and weigh the pros and cons.

And it’s better to consult with a competent specialist rather than read reviews on the Internet, then you won’t have to regret your decision. Be healthy and take care of your children, remember that their health is in your hands.

According to the vaccination calendar, according to the rules, vaccination against polio begins in the first half of the baby’s life. Polio vaccinations for children are the best way to prevent this terrible disease.

Children are vaccinated against polio according to the calendar in the first year of life. Following the calendar, the polio vaccine is given first at 3 months, then two more times with an interval of 6 weeks. Sometimes the immunization schedule is disrupted. But in any case, it is important to observe the time interval between vaccine administrations; it should be at least 6 weeks (between the first three).

Many parents are afraid to violate the vaccination schedule and ask the question: “Is it possible to be vaccinated against polio if the child has slight catarrhal symptoms (mild cough, runny nose)?” No, a child can be vaccinated no earlier than 2-4 weeks after recovery. This rule is especially strict when a child is given a live vaccine.

Revaccination against polio is done three times. Children in the second year of life are revaccinated against polio twice (at one and a half years and at 20 months), and the final time at 14 years. Revaccination against polio is carried out with live vaccines if the child has no contraindications to this.

Polio vaccines are available live and inactivated (killed). Different countries have different polio vaccination schemes in terms of the choice of live or inactivated vaccine. For a short time, only live polio vaccine was used. Currently, our country has adopted a combined scheme for vaccinating children against polio. That is, children are vaccinated against polio with both inactivated and live vaccines.

In the Russian Federation, a sequence of polio vaccinations has been approved, consisting of 2 stages - vaccination and revaccination. In the absence of serious illnesses in the child that give the right to a deferment from vaccination, the schedule is as follows:

• the first stage - at 3, 4.5 and 6 months;
• the second stage - at 1.5 years, 20 months and 14 years.

The schedule involves a combination of OPV and IPV. Pediatricians recommend intramuscular injections for infants, and drops for babies after one year of age. For older children, the polio vaccine is given in the shoulder.

If parents choose only IPV for their child, then it is enough to vaccinate 5 times. The last injection is given at 5 years of age. Missing a vaccine as scheduled does not mean you need to start the regimen all over again. It is enough to agree on the optimal time with the immunologist and carry out as many procedures as necessary.

Complications after vaccination can be serious and dangerous. The first are the result of violation of vaccination requirements, for example, when a child had an acute respiratory viral infection or his immunity was weakened by a recent illness.

After vaccination against polio, dangerous complications of OPV are vaccine-associated polio and severe intestinal dysfunction. The first type of manifestation and treatment methods are identical to the “wild” form, therefore the baby must be hospitalized in the infectious diseases department of the hospital. The second occurs when diarrhea does not go away within 3 days after vaccination.

The likelihood of VAP occurring as a complication is higher with the first injection, and with each subsequent injection it decreases. The risk of VAP is higher in children with immunodeficiency and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

Complications after the administration of an inactivated vaccine are of a different nature. The most dangerous of them are arthritis and lifelong lameness. Serious side effects will include allergic reactions such as swelling of the lungs, limbs and face, itching and rash, and difficulty breathing.

To form reliable immunity, a child needs two-stage preventive measures: vaccination and revaccination. During infancy, children receive 3 polio vaccinations, but over time the amount of antibodies in the bloodstream decreases. Therefore, repeated administration of the vaccine or revaccination is indicated.

Vaccination against polio - combination immunization schedule:

• Introduction of IPV to children at 3 and 4.5 months;
• Taking OPV at 1.5 years, 20 months, 14 years.

Using this regimen allows you to minimize the risk of developing allergies and complications.

When using exclusively an oral drug, the child is vaccinated at 3; 4.5; 6 months, revaccination at 1.5 years, 20 months and 14 years. Vaccination against polio using IPV is carried out in 3; 4.5; 6 months, revaccination – at 1.5 years and 6 years.

According to the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, polio vaccinations are given to children aged 3, 4 and a half, 6 months. The first revaccination is carried out at 18 months, the second at 20, and the last at 14 years. In the first year of life, vaccinations are given with an inactivated vaccine, and in the second year - with a live vaccine. This scheme helps to most reliably protect the human body from polio infection.

The following complications have been recorded that have occurred after vaccination with inactivated complex drugs “Infanrix IPV”, “Infanrix Hexa”, “Tetracok”, “Pentaxim”:

• compaction and pain at the injection site;
• stomatitis and toothache;
• upper respiratory tract diseases;
• otitis;
• sleep disturbance;
• fever;
• nausea;
• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• weakness;
• unusual crying or screaming;
• anxiety.

Most often, complications arise and the load on the child’s immune system increases if DTP and polio vaccinations are performed. The reaction can occur both from diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus drug and from drops.

You should not immediately refuse vaccination after reading a long list of possible reactions. Reviews indicate that complications occur infrequently, in most cases do not require medical intervention and go away on their own within a few days. For example, if you have been vaccinated with DTP and polio, the temperature is not considered a complication, but is an individual reaction of the body to the virus.

In this case, antipyretic drugs for children will help. Unpleasant symptoms in the form of a slight rash and slight redness of the injection site are relieved with the help of topical ointments. Serious complications develop against the background of other diseases, general weakness of the child’s body and other negative factors.

Before vaccination, be sure to give your child a general blood test and urine test, and visit a pediatrician. Many diseases are asymptomatic, but at the same time significantly reduce the body's defenses. Additional stress on the immune system in the form of polio vaccination can lead to the development of unforeseen complications.

After vaccination, provide your baby with enough fluids. If the baby is breastfed, the mother should take care of a balanced, fat-free diet a few days before vaccination and 2 weeks after. Proper preparation for the procedure and a responsible attitude towards the child’s health contribute to vaccination without any complications and full protection of the baby from serious illness.

Vaccine-associated polio

Vaccine-associated polio occurs after a child is given the polio vaccine. The main reasons for the development of this pathology in a child are decreased immunity and mutation of the virus. Most often, the disease develops in infants after the first vaccination. Vaccine-associated polio is extremely rare, mainly in third world countries. On the territory of the Russian Federation, 10-15 cases of this disease are registered annually.

Effective but long-term treatment

Treatment of the disease is determined by its form and stage.
The sooner it starts, the greater the chance of avoiding complications. Treatment involves complete bed rest, which will reduce the load on the muscles and reduce the manifestations of pain. It is important that the surface on which the patient is placed is hard. Medical personnel should monitor the functioning of the respiratory system and swallowing around the clock. If the volume of the lungs has decreased by a quarter, then the patient is connected to artificial ventilation. If mucus accumulates in the nasopharynx, it is cleaned with an aspirator. During the paralytic period, it is necessary to observe an orthopedist who will monitor the situation and may prescribe the wearing of splints, cuffs and special insoles.

Treatment of polio:

• Taking painkillers.
• When the temperature rises, antipyretics are prescribed.
• Treatment with antipsychotic and sedative drugs is mandatory.
• If necessary, treat with antihistamines.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
• In severe cases, treatment allows the use of glucocorticosteroids.
• Be sure to carry out vitamin therapy. They also evaluate a blood test for the amount of hemoglobin and, if necessary, prescribe iron supplements.
• If there is a risk of developing pneumonia, then treatment with antibiotics is performed.

After the crisis has passed, a long period of recovery begins. It usually begins at 3-4 weeks of illness. The main task is to restore the transmission of nerve impulses. All this time, supervision of a neurologist is necessary.

Recovery includes:

• Physical therapy, swimming.
• Monitoring blood tests.
• Vitamin therapy.
• Physiotherapy.
• Massotherapy.
• Mud therapy, wraps, sulfur baths.

Complexes of procedures are carried out 2 times a year. Full recovery of the body takes about 3 years. After this time, annual sanatorium-resort treatment is required.

Which doctor should I contact?

The only effective method of preventing polio is vaccination.
If signs of an infectious disease appear, accompanied by progressive weakness in the limbs, it is necessary to urgently contact an infectious disease specialist. During the recovery period, which lasts a long time, the role of a physiotherapist, a specialist in physical therapy and massage is important.

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Complications

In some cases, polio can cause complications. Some consequences arise after the disease has been suffered. This:

• Pneumonia
• Breathing problems
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Stomach ulcer
• Paralysis
• Deformation, thinning of limbs
• Amyotrophy
• Curvature of the spinal column
• Development of post-polio syndrome many years after illness

DTP vaccination and polio

The world-famous preventive vaccination DTP is adsorbed pertussis-diphtheria-tetanus. It contains inactivated cells of the pathogens of whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. What is it for? The child’s immune system simply needs a vaccine that is designed to achieve its intensity. Whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria are very dangerous and can lead to frightening complications that will be very difficult for a child to cope with.

Aloe perfectly restores necessary processes in the body, indispensable for the nervous system

This vaccine is carried out in 4 stages: at 2-3 months, the next one after 1-2 months, and then after 12 months. What is very important? The presented vaccine can only be vaccinated in children under 4 years of age. A child under 6 years of age is given ADS vaccines or ADS-M after 6 years of age.

With polio, the reaction to DTP can be completely varied, because a serious restructuring of the immune system occurs. The reaction from such a vaccination may manifest itself during the first three days. Irritability, fever, pain at the injection site are the most common signs. Moreover, the child may lose appetite, experience slight vomiting and diarrhea, and drowsiness.

History of polio research

Poliomyelitis has accompanied humanity for many millennia. The disease has been known since the 4th century BC. era, but its nature remained unknown for a long time.

• The first systematic study and description of polio was carried out in 1840 by the German orthopedist Jacob Heine (Netherlands). He also suggested the possible infectious nature of the disease.
• In 1907, Wickman I. (Sweden) created a clinical classification of the disease.
• In 1908, Landsteiner and Popper experimentally reproduced polio by injecting a monkey with an emulsion of the spinal cord of a dying child. It was assumed that the causative agent of the disease is viral in nature, since the results of bacteriological examination gave negative results.
• The years 1949 - 1951 are turning points in the study of polio. John Franklin Enders, Thomas Huckle Weller and Frederick Chapman Robbins discovered the ability of the polio virus to grow in cultures of various types of tissue, for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1954. This discovery gave impetus to the production of a vaccine against this disease, the development of laboratory diagnostic methods and its active prevention.

Rice. 2. John Franklin Enders, Thomas Huckle Weller and Frederick Chapman Robbins discovered the ability of the polio virus to grow in cultures of various types of tissue, for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1954.

Poliomyelitis in Ukraine

The situation described in the previous section just happened in Ukraine, where an outbreak of polio was registered in the Transcarpathian region . During the outbreak, two young children who were not vaccinated became ill. They developed a paralytic form of the disease. This emergency has a simple explanation - in recent years, the level of immunization of children in Ukraine has reached critically low numbers, so polio 2019 in the Transcarpathian region may be only the beginning of a whole chain of polio outbreaks.

To summarize, I would like to note once again that polio is a very contagious and very dangerous disease, which can only be protected from by vaccination.
No medicine will help kill the virus if it enters the body and begins to affect the nervous system. With vaccinations, parents can protect their child from potential dangers and protect themselves from the challenges faced by families raising children with disabilities. We recommend reading: “Tour vaccination against polio 2019: necessity and risks.”
You can get more information about polio by watching the video review:

Zubkova Olga Sergeevna, medical observer, epidemiologist

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Why is polio dangerous?

Poliomyelitis is a disease that can lead to disability.

Paralyzed limbs, even if they begin to move at least somehow, remain deformed (shortened, with atrophied muscles). In addition, if paralysis occurs, there is a high probability that the pathological process will affect not only the muscles of the arms and legs, but also the muscles responsible for breathing. This is fraught with the development of serious respiratory disorders, from which the patient may even die.

Of course, the paralytic form of the disease, which provokes serious consequences of polio, does not occur so often, but the risk still exists, and it is necessary to remember it, especially since specific drugs that act on polioviruses have not yet been developed.