Health Tips

WHO is responsible for the emergence of POLIO once again?

It is times like this that everyone is ready to point fingers at everyone and anyone that they feel is responsible for this. But this is what happens when we do not vaccinate our children. We bring back age old disease that has been eradicated. Polio has been eradicated in Malaysia since 1992 (27 years!), children born after this time SHOULD enjoy a life without having to worry about this deadly and debilitating disease. Have we gotten too comfortable that we have forgotten how bad this disease affects an individual, which could be your very own loved ones, be it your children or even your grandchildren. This news came as a shock to most people, however it is an undeniably clear reminder that Vaccines not only works but is of extreme importance. 

Today, we will bring you back to a painful memory lane on this terrible but very much preventable disease. Most Polio virus is spread through the fecal-oral route whether someone ate or drank contaminated food/water, did not wash their contaminated hands or caught the viral droplets from one’s sneeze or cough. It is highly contagious. 

How do I identify that it is polio?

¼ will experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, nausea, tiredness, headache and stomach pain. However, some people will have more serious symptoms that affect major organs such as the brain or spinal cord:

• Paralysis - weakness in arm and leg

• Paresthesia (pins and needles sensation in the legs)

• Meningitis - infection of the spinal cord and brain covering

If severe, this disease can also lead to death, especially when the virus affects the breathing muscles which disables one to breathe normally. 

Children who seem to recover fully can still develop new muscle pain, weakness, or paralysis in adulthood.

PREVENTION is only possible with VACCINES

There are 2 types of polio vaccines available namely Oral Polio Virus (OPV) & Inactivated Polio Virus (IPV). Either types of vaccine needs to be administered multiple times to boost one’s immune system. Type of polio vaccine administered depends on the geographical location and prevalence of polio cases. OPV is given if there is still a risk of wild poliovirus.

DOING YOUR PART

Download our Doc2Us app from Google Play Store or Apple Store and chat with a doctor now.

Reference :

1. http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/p/poliomyelitis/symptoms-and-causes

2. https://www.cdc.gov/polio/about/index.htm

3. http://polioeradication.org/polio-today/faq/

Picture credit:

1. http://themillenniumreport.com/2016/03/polio-vaccines-now-the-1-cause-of-polio-paralysis/

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polio

3. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/432381/Nationwide-polio-vaccination-for-children-to-get-underway

4. https://familydoctor.org/polio-vaccine/

5. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/infographics/vaccine-preventable-disease-tiles.html

Written by

Dr. Jessamine Chong Sze Lynn