The first case of Heine-Medin disease in nearly 10 years was detected in New York state. It is an infectious disease caused by the polio virus, which has been forgotten in recent times.
New York State reported on Thursday that a polio case was detected in a resident of Rockland, north of New York City. The last case of Heine-Medin disease was registered in the United States in 2013.
As reported by the state health department, the detected case came from a vaccine. The identified patient was infected with type 2 poliovirus from the oral polio vaccine used in many countries, but not in the United States. The U.S. stopped using the oral vaccine in 2000.
- Heine-Medin disease – symptoms, causes, treatment, prevention
The statement did not provide details of the infected person’s age or whether they have recently traveled.
An epidemic interrupted by vaccines
Heine-Medin disease is an infectious disease, associated mainly as a childhood disease, but also dangerous for adolescents and adults. It is caused by the polio virus.
In 90 percent patients do not develop any symptoms, and 4-8 percent. have flu-like symptoms. The most characteristic form is paralytic, which affects about 1-2 percent. sick. The affected nervous system causes paralysis of the muscles, often of a permanent nature.
In the XNUMXth century, polio was the source of an epidemic around the world, but since the invention of the vaccine, the number of cases has been significantly reduced.
Recently, however, isolated cases of polio have been detected in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Ukraine.
- Polio – the course of infection, symptoms, complications, vaccine. What was the fight against polio like in Poland? WE EXPLAIN
Polio in Poland
In Poland, the struggle with polio took place mainly in the 50s, when every year over 1,7 thousand people were ill. up to 3 people. At the peak of the epidemic in 1958, over 6 people fell ill. people. After the introduction of vaccinations, the disease was eliminated. The last case of polyovirus disease in Poland was recorded in 1984. Due to isolated cases in the world, compulsory vaccinations are still in force in Poland.