Polio Can Cause Paralysis, Recognize Symptoms, Transmission, And How To Prevent It

JAKARTA - Polio or poliomyelitis is an infectious disease caused by the virus and can attack the nervous system, especially nerve cells controlling muscles.

In severe cases, polio can cause paralysis, difficulty breathing, and even death. Although it is rare to find in many countries thanks to vaccination, this virus still lurks in areas with low immunization coverage

Symptoms

Reporting from the Mayo Clinic page, most people infected with polio do not show symptoms. However, for those with symptoms, the severity can vary:

- Mild polyo (abortive poliomyelitis): In the form of mild flu, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

- Non-paralytic polyo: In addition to more severe flu symptoms, sufferers can experience neck stiffness, pain in the hands and legs, to severe headaches.

- Paralytic polyo: The most severe form that can cause paralysis, extreme sensitivity to touch, susceptibility, circumventing muscles, even respiratory and swallowing disorders.

- Postpolyo syndrome: Long-term complications that emerged decades after recovering from polio, in the form of progressive muscle weakness, joint pain, fatigue, sleep disorders, to intolerance of cold temperatures.

Cause

Polio is caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system, especially motor nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain stems. This virus is divided into two types:

- Wild polyovirus (wild-type): It's almost extinct globally.

-Poliovirus from vaccine mutations (vaccine-derived poliovirus/VDPV): Appears in communities with low vaccination coverage, especially from oral vaccines containing attenuated live viruses.

How To Transmission

Poliovirus is very contagious, especially through:

- Fecess (impurity) of infected people.

- Sputter from coughing or sneezing.

- Hand contamination, food, or water infected with the virus.

The virus enters the body through the mouth, then reproduces in the throat and intestines before attacking the nervous system.

Risk Factors

Anyone who has not been vaccinated has the risk of contracting polio. However, children under the age of five are the most vulnerable group. Adults traveling to areas with active polio cases are also at higher risk if they have not received a booster vaccine.

Complications

Heavy policers can cause permanent paralysis, respiratory problems that can lead to death, bone shape disorders due to stagnant muscles, chronic pain, and movement disorders, as well as postpolyo syndrome.

Prevention

The only most effective way to prevent polio is vaccination. For the child vaccination schedule (IPV Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine), the CDC recommends four doses, namely the age of 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 4 6 years. If there is a missed dose, parents can consult health workers to pursue the immunization schedule.

Most adults have been vaccinated as a child. However, for those who will travel to areas with active transmission, it is recommended to receive a booster dose once. If you have never been vaccinated, the complete dose consists of three injections with a schedule. The 2nd dose is done 1.2 months after the first dose. Next the 3rd dose is carried out 6 12 months after the second dose.

The IPV vaccine is safe to use, including for people with weak immune systems. Side effects are generally mild, such as pain at the injection site. However, severe allergic reactions are very rare and are usually caused by antibiotic content such as streptomycin or neomisin in vaccines.