THE SCOURGE OF POLIO

" Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases"- Hippocrates: Aphorisms

" Polio (poliomyelitis, infantile paralysis) is a highly contagious, sometimes fatal viral infection that affects nerves and can cause permanent muscle weakness, paralysis and other symptoms.

• Polio is caused by poliovirus, an entrovirus which is spread by swallowing material contaminated by the virus.
• Serious symptoms include: fever, headache, stiff neck, back, deep muscle pain, and sometimes weakness or paralysis.
• The diagnosis is based on symptoms and the results of a stool culture.
• Some children recover completely, whereas others have permanent weakness.
• Routine vaccination can prevent the infection.
• There is no cure for polio.

In the early 20th century, polio was widespread throughout the United States. Today, because of extensive vaccination, polio outbreaks have largely disappeared, and most doctors have never seen a new polio infection. The last case of wild polio virus (WPV) infection in the US occurred in 1979. The Western Hemisphere was certified polio free in 1994. A global polio eradication program has been underway for decades, but cases still occur in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. Unimmunized people of all ages are susceptible to polio, however, polio outbreaks occurred mainly in children and adolescents. Many other people had already been exposed to the virus and developed immunity." (The Merck Manual Home Health Book, 2009)

There are statistics that have accumulated over the 20th century that underscore the widespread devastation, not only of human deaths and disfigurement, but also the contagion of fear. In 1988, a public health effort to eliminate all cases of polio infection around the world was led by WHO, UNICEF, and The Rotary Foundation (Polio Plus). This has reduced the number of annual (WPV- wild polio virus) diagnosed cases from the hundreds of thousands to 94 in 2015. (TRF website). Even though this represents a 99.9% reduction (Wikipedia), there has been a bounce back of WPV in some countries. The fight against polio continues. Dr. Jonas Salk is immortalized in annals of medicine for his development of the polio vaccine.