Polio is also known as Poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis in medical terms. It is a contagious disease which occurs in the form of a virus. The causes of polio are plenty which affects an individual for the rest of their life.
Polio is caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. This can lead to temporary or permanent, total or partial paralysis in various parts of the body. But, according to research 1 out of 100 people are affected with either temporary or permanent paralysis due to the polio virus.
Why Polio Occurs?
Poliovirus spreads through faeces, cough, sneeze, etc. Polio virus spreads from one person to the other. When a person gets contact with the infected person faeces virus occurs. It can even occur when the infected person's cough or sneeze droplets spread into the air or fall on the healthy person. The virus can also spread through food and water.
If the virus is transmitted through the mouth, it spreads from throat and multiplies in to all over the body. In the process of multiplying in the body, it sometimes enters into bloodstreams and spread into the nervous system and increases the causes of polio.
When virus spreads, it doesn't show or affect body immediately. It takes few weeks of time to show up
Who are affected by polio Virus?
Usually, polio virus is affected mostly to the children below the age of 5. The effect of this polio remains either permanently or temporarily depending on the type of the polio the child is affected by.
How does polio affect the body?
The polio virus effects on the body depend on the severity and causes of polio virus present in the body. If the virus is mild it causes minor defects and if the virus is severe and harsh it affects major parts of the body.
What is the prevention method for polio?
There is no permanent prevention for polio ones a child is affected by it. It can be cured through vaccine which is called as "Polio Vaccine". If the child is affected with polio and unable to get polio vaccine drops at the right time, it increases the risk of virus to the body and may also leads to death.
What is Polio vaccine?
Polio vaccine is invented in the year 1953 and it was made available to the people from 1957. It is a remedy to cure or prevent polio virus. Polio vaccine prepares children to fight with polio virus and protects from virus affecting the body. A child who gets all the vaccine doses at the right time will not get affected by polio virus or the causes of polio.
There are 2 types of Polio vaccine which plays a vital role in protecting children from virus.
- Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV): This will be in the form of injections. A series of injections are given to the child right after 2 months of birth to till 4-6 years old. Ones injected with this vaccine, it is safe, secure and will not cause polio virus.
- Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV): This vaccine is given by mouth. It is the vaccine of choice in many countries around the globe. It is cost effective, easy to use and increases immunity. In some rare cases, this vaccine is affected with severe poliovirus which may cause paralysis.
What are the causes of Polio?
The polio is caused by a small virus known as RNA. This RNA is part of the enterovirus group which is a family of Picornavirus.
Types of Polio:
There are majorly 3 types of causes of polio listed below.
- Type 1 Polio
- Type 2 Polio
- Type 3 Polio
Polio Vaccine side effects:
Getting infected with polio vaccine is more dangerous than poliovirus. It increases the risk. Immediately contact if any of the below provided signs are seen.
- Extreme drowsiness
- Fainting
- Breathing difficulties
- High fever
- Face, throat or tongue swelling
Polio symptoms: Polio symptoms in babies or others do not have any specific symptoms. There are very fewer chances of visible symptoms before effecting with polio virus. All over the globe 95% cases do not include any prior symptoms. The visible symptoms appear depending on the type of the polio virus the person effected with. The initial symptoms of polio include the following.
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Vomiting
- stiffness in the neck
- Limbs pain
- Tiredness
- Stomach pain
In some of the very rare cases polio virus attacks spinal cord and brain which leads to paralysis or death. People can receive vaccine with a cough or fever or other causes of polio. But, they should never miss any of the vaccines till the dose is completed.
Never miss polio drops to your child or other children. Always be on time for polio vaccine to the children and prevent the causes of polio.
Bring polio awareness in your circle! Help in polio prevention! Make polio free country!
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Author's Bio: Ashreetha Pendkar Is a Healthcare writer, trainer and Digital marketing expert, she loves to read healthcare content and spreading her words about the importance of the health to near & dears.
Verified By: Srinitha Busam - Is a Physiotherapist and Research writer.
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