People at risk

Polio mainly affects children under the age of five.

Risk factors

The factors that increase the risk of developing severe symptoms with poliovirus infection are not known.

With regard to post-polio syndrome, certain risk factors have been determined. These are for example:

• to have suffered from significant paralysis during the infection;
• having developed polio after the age of 10;
• to have suffered from significant paralysis during the initial infection;
• to have functionally recovered well after the initial infection.