Poliomyelitis

• Poliomyelitis

  • Also known as Polio.
  • A disabling and highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus.
  • It can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis.
  • Mainly affects children under 5 years of age.
  • However, anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease.
• Negative - Immunity of Polio
• Poliovirus

  • Cause of poliomyelitis.
• Wild Poliovirus Type 1 or Brunuhilde

  • Exist until today.
• Wild Poliovirus Type 2 or Lansing

  • Eradicated since September 2015.
• Wild Poliovirus 3 or Leon

  • Eradicated since October 2019.
  • Most likely to cause paralysis.
• Modes of Transmission

  • Droplets from sneezing or coughing.
  • Oral transmission.
  • Human waste or feces.
• Pathogenesis

  1. Entry through mouth.
  2. Destruction of motor neurons results in distinctive paralysis.
  3. Replication in oropharynx, gastrointestinal tract.
  4. Invades local lymphoid tissue and may enter the bloodstream.
  5. Infect cells of the central nervous system.
• Life cycle of polio

  1. Entering the Body

  • Through mouth due to direct and indirect contact.

  1. Settling In

  • Infection and replication of the virus in cells.

  1. Attacking the Body

  • In one out of every 200 cases, the virus attacks the CNS, destroying the cells in the spinal cord.
  • Leaving the Body
  • Virus excreted in feces.
• Non-Paralytic Polio

  • Also known as abortive polio.
  • The poliovirus neither entered the CNS or damaged neurons.
• Paralytic Polio

  • Leads to paralysis in the spinal cord (spinal polio), brainstem (bulbar polio) or both (bulbospinal polio).
  • It is rare for full paralysis to develop.
  • In 5–10% of the polio in paralysis cases, the virus will attack the muscles that help you breathe and cause death.
• Post-Polio Syndrome

  • It is possible for polio to return after you recover.
  • This can occur after 15 to 40 years.
• Virus Isolation and Detection

  • Virus isolation in culture is the most sensitive method to diagnose poliovirus infection.
  • Poliovirus is most likely to be isolated from stool specimens. It may also be isolated from pharyngeal swabs.
• Partial genome sequencing - is used to confirm the poliovirus genotype and determine its likely geographic origin.
• Real-time reverse transcription PCR - is used to differentiate possible wild strains from vaccine-like strains, using virus isolated in culture as the starting material.
• Serologic Test

  • Helpful in supporting the diagnosis of paralytic poliomyelitis, particularly if a patient is known or suspected to not be vaccinated.
• Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis

  • a diagnostic tool for many conditions affecting the central nervous system.
• There is NO CURE for Polio, ONLY TREATMENT TO ALLEVIATE the symptoms.
• Heat and Physical Therapy

  • Used to stimulate the muscles.
• Antispasmodic Drugs

  • Given to relax the muscles.
• Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV)

  • Developed in 1955 by Dr. Joan Salk.
  • Also called the Salk Vaccine.
  • Consists of inactivated (weakened or killed) poliovirus strains of all three poliovirus types.
  • Route: IM or ID.
  • Site: Leg or Arm (depending on the age).
• Oral Poliovirus Vaccine (OPV)

  • Produces antibodies in the blood to all three types of poliovirus.
  • Protects the individual against polio paralysis.
  • OPVs are administered orally.