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Our Polio Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Polio |
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Definition of Polio
Polio: Abbreviation for poliomyelitis, an acute and
sometimes devastating disease caused by a virus. Man is the only natural host for
polio virus. The virus enters the mouth and multiplies in lymphoid
tissues in the throat and intestine. Small numbers of virus enter
the blood and go to other sites where the virus multiplies more
extensively. Another round of viremia (virus in the bloodstream)
leads to invasion of the central nervous system (CNS), the spinal
cord and brain, the target sites struck by the virus.
In polio, there is inflammation of the central nervous system,
especially the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord and the
brainstem (the portion of the brain between the cerebral
hemispheres and spinal cord).
Polio can be a minor illness, as it is in 80-90% of clinical
infections, chiefly in young children, and not involve the CNS.
Symptoms are slight fever, malaise, headache, sore throat, and
vomiting 3-5 days after exposure. Recovery occurs in 24-72 hours.
This is termed the abortive type of polio.
As a major illness, polio may or may not be paralytic.
Symptoms usually appear without prior illness, particularly in older
children and adults, 7-14 days after exposure. Symptoms are fever,
severe headache, stiff neck and back, deep muscle pain, and sometimes
areas of hyperesthesia (increased sensation) and paresthesia (altered
sensation). There may be no further progression from this picture of
viral meningitis ("aseptic" meningitis) or there be loss of tendon
reflexes and weakness or paralysis of muscle groups.
Recovery is complete in the abortive and nonparalytic forms of
polio. In paralytic polio, about 50% of patients recover with no
residual paralysis, about 25% are left with mild disabilities, and
the remaining patients have severe permanent disability. The greatest
return of muscle function occurs in the first 6 months, but
improvement may continue for up to 2 years. Physical therapy is the
most important part of treatment of paralytic polio during
convalescence. The ideal strategy with polio is clearly to prevent it
by immunization against poliovirus.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) had polio and
worked with the National Foundation/March of Dimes to raise money to
combat this once-fearsome scourge. Polio(myelitis) is also called
infantile paralysis.
Last Editorial Review: 2/11/1999
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