POLIO

• Highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system
• Children younger than 5 years old are more likely to contract the virus

Symptoms

• Headache
• Sore, red throat
• Slight fever
• Vomiting
• General discomfort
• Fatigue
• Abnormal reflexes
• Problems swallowing and/or breathing
• Back and neck pain and stiffness, particularly neck stiffness with forward flexion of the neck
• Arm and leg pain or stiffness
• Muscle tenderness and spasms
• Meningitis

Causes

• 1. Transmitted from person-to-person through fecal matter
• 2. Virus can be spread by contaminated food or water
• 3. Direct contact with another infected person.

Risk Factors

• Travel to an area where polio is common or that has recently experienced an outbreak
• Living with or caring for someone who may be shedding poliovirus
• A compromised immune system, such as occurs with HIV infection
• Having had your tonsils removed (tonsillectomy)
• Extreme stress or strenuous physical activity after being exposed to poliovirus, both of which can depress your immune system
• Diagnostic Tests

Diagnosis of throat secretions, stool or cerebrospinal fluid

• Physical examination
• Treatments
• Rest
• Painkillers to relieve headaches, muscle aches, and muscle spasms
• Antibiotics for urinary tract infections
• Portable ventilators to help with breathing
• Physical therapy and/or corrective braces to help with walking
• Heating pads or warm towels to ease muscle aches and spasms
• Physical therapy to treat pain in the affected muscles
• Physical therapy to address breathing and pulmonary problems and then pulmonary rehabilitation to increase the patient’s pulmonary
• Endurance as the acute breathing problems improve
• Vaccination

Prevention

• Polio vaccination
• Fewer shots for your child
• IPV or the oral polio vaccine (OPV)