Table of Contents
About Polio
- Polio is a viral infectious disease that can cause irreversible paralysis and even death by affecting the nervous system.
- Transmission: The virus primarily spreads through the faecal-oral route and can multiply in the intestine, where it can invade the nervous system.
- Target Group: mainly affects children under five.
- India was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014, with the last wild poliovirus case reported in 2011.
Difference between Wild Polio Virus & Inactivated Polio Virus
- Wild poliovirus is the naturally occurring strain of the poliovirus that causes the disease polio:
- Inactivated poliovirus is a safe, dead version used in polio vaccines to prevent the disease.
Vaccines for Polio
- Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV): Administered as a birth dose, followed by three primary doses at 6, 10, and 14 weeks, and a booster dose at 16-24 months.
- Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV): This vaccine is given as an additional dose along with the third DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus) vaccine under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).
Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (VDPV)
- It is an uncommon condition that can happen when the weakened virus in the oral polio vaccine changes and becomes strong enough to cause polio again.
- The oral polio vaccine (OPV) contains a live, weakened virus that helps the body build immunity to protect against polio.
- After vaccination, the weakened virus is excreted in the stool. But in areas with poor sanitation and low immunisation coverage, this virus can spread to others in the community.
