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The polio vaccine is an effective method of preventing a serious childhood disease with serious complications. In Poland, no case of polio, i.e. Heine-Medina disease, has been recorded for many years. The vaccine is therefore highly effective. Until polio is completely eradicated worldwide, immunization against polio in infants is recommended.
What is polio?
Polio, also known as Heine-Medin disease or Acute Palsy, is a dangerous viral infectious disease. It may be asymptomatic or give symptoms in the form of paralysis leading to paralysis of the body, and thus – disability, and even death. Polio virus it no longer threatens the people of Europe, and the number of cases has also fallen to its lowest level in history in other countries of the world. In 2018, only 33 cases of infections caused by wild-type polio virus were officially registered.
Despite the positive evolution of the global polio situation, the virus is still active in countries such as India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. It has also been observed to create mutations. This means that there is a risk of Heine-Medina disease spreading to Poland and other European countries from areas still actively endangered. For this reason, practice immunization against polio in infants is still practiced around the globe. This is necessary in order to stop the possibility of a relapse of the disease epidemic.
We owe such a high effectiveness of disease reduction to the worldwide program launched in 1988 for the purpose of eradication of polio.
Symptoms and complications of polio
Polio (also poliomyelitis) has been a serious problem in the past, as children with permanent motor disabilities have been increasing at a steady pace. The disease also caused thousands of deaths each year. Such effects of Heine-Medin disease are the result of muscular paralysis appearing in the form of paralytic polio, as well as some complications. Interestingly, Heine-Medin disease is asymptomatic in most cases. Nevertheless, the sick person infects, and in the future threatens him post-paralysis syndrome (fatigue, muscle and joint pain, muscle weakness). Due to the widespread spread of polio in the second half of the XNUMXth century, dangerous cases of the paralytic form of the disease became noticeable.
If symptoms of polio are present, they are initially rather non-specific, as they include the typical symptoms associated with acute viral infections. Therefore, fever, weakness, headache and throat pain, chills and vomiting are observed. In the further course of the disease, aseptic meningitis, disorders of the central nervous system, and in some cases also damage to motor neurons may occur.
Paralysis accompanying polio disease initially causes muscle pain, cramps, and over time, relaxation. The most serious complications are associated with paralysis. On the one hand, permanent damage to the muscles of the legs or arms may occur, but on the other hand, the respiratory muscles may also be affected, which poses a risk of respiratory failure. There is no effective treatment for polio – the detected infection is treated symptomatically, rehabilitation is instituted if necessary, and respiratory support is used in the event of more serious complications. The only one a sure way to fight polio there is vaccination, that is, prophylaxis.
Types of polio vaccines
Until 2016, vaccination against polio in Poland was performed using two methods: inactivated (killed, IPV) vaccine according to Salk and live attenuated vaccine (OPV) according to Sabin. From April 1, 2016, vaccination against polio is carried out in Poland only with inactivated vaccine. The live vaccine, which was administered orally, was therefore withdrawn. Despite the easier method of administration, it was associated with a certain risk of the virus entering the external environment and the likelihood (very low) of vaccine disease.
Polio vaccine efficacy
The effectiveness of the polio vaccine is very high. In Poland, not a single case of Heine-Medin disease has been reported for many years. Nevertheless, the disease has not been completely eradicated worldwide, so it is still recommended that infants be given the polio vaccine. If children were not vaccinated against polio, the disease could spread again, with dire consequences.
Is the polio vaccine mandatory?
In Poland, vaccinations against polio, i.e. childhood paralysis (Heine-Medin disease), are included in compulsory vaccination calendar. This means that every infant must be immunized against polio, and vaccines are reimbursed. In the event of parental objections, it is possible to have a child vaccinated in court – failure to vaccinate against polio poses a threat to the rest of the child population.
- Read more: Mandatory vaccinations for children – what should you remember?
Heine-Medina disease requires four doses to be administered at predetermined intervals to build up immunity. The child receives the first two vaccinations in the first year of life (at the turn of the third and fourth months of life and at the end of the fifth month), followed by a booster dose at 3–4. month of life. Your child will receive the fourth and last polio vaccine when they are six years old. Before April 1, 2016, the last dose of the polio vaccine was administered using the method according to Sabin (OPV attenuated vaccine), after this date, children receive the fourth dose of the IPV polio vaccine (inactivated).
Polio vaccine for adults
Most adults who receive the polio vaccine as a child do not need booster doses. In some cases, however, it is given to adults booster doses of IPV vaccines. This is the case when the person travels to countries where Heine-Medina still occurs. Polio vaccine lab workers and healthcare professionals who have had contact with a patient who has or is suspected of having polio also receive a boost of polio vaccine.
Is the polio vaccine safe?
Children get the Salk polio vaccine by injection. It is completely safe, does not lead to complications and has no serious side effects. Possible side effects include redness and itching at the injection site, which usually disappears after a few days. Virus in IPV polio vaccine it is inactive (killed), which means that the child’s body does not have to fight it, it only learns to make antibodies against it.
Live polio vaccine, OPV (Sabin’s method) was administered orally – viruses from the live OPV vaccine multiplied in the child’s intestines and thus stimulated his body to produce immune antibodies. This posed a risk to unvaccinated children (infants), as the polio virus could be found in the faeces of an older child for up to several weeks. In Poland, however, this type of polio vaccine was abandoned in 2016. The advantage of the OPV vaccine was that it gave fuller immunity to Heine-Medin disease.
Possible complications and side effects after receiving the polio vaccine
The IPV polio vaccine currently in use is completely safe. After the injection is given, you may experience slight post-injection reactions such as redness, slight pain, hardness or swelling at the injection site. These symptoms usually disappear on their own after 1-2 days. Some children and adults may develop symptoms such as headache, vomiting, and diarrhea after being vaccinated for polio. They disappear within a few days.