POLIOMYELITIS

Poliomyelitis is an acute infectious disease caused by RNA enterovirus.Only six countries in the world were still reporting this disease by the end of 2003.Man is the only reservoir and natural host of the virus and it is excreted in the stools of patients for two weeks before and 6 to 8 weeks after the onset of the illness.Rarely, the virus may be water-borne virus because of contamination with sewage. Poliovirus enters the human body, through the mouth and alimentary tract. The virus ofpoliomylitis multiplies in the intestines, if there is no local tissue immunity against the infection. If conditions for the spread of virus are present, the virus involves the nervous system, reaching there either along the nerve pathways or through the blood stream. This virus damages motor and automatic nervous system and commonly affected areas are the anterior horns of spinal cord, vestibular and nuclei in the roof of the cerebellum. The incubation period ranges from 1-2 weeks. The illness aborts in another 4 percent of cases and mimics any other viral illness there are no neurological symptoms. The diagnosis of this disease is based on the history and characteristic clinical manifestations of asymmetrical flaccid paralysis. There is no specific treatment for poliomyelitis apart from this rest in bed, relief of pain; neutral positioning of the limbs, physiotherapy and good nursing help to reduce this disease. Individual children should be protected by immunization with polio vaccine.