Poliomyelitis is a highly contagious viral disease that causes paralysis of the arms, legs, and breathing, and can also cause death. Poliomyelitis pathogens penetrate the oral mucosa mainly through contaminated water. Infection by airborne droplets is also possible.
Poor hygiene conditions favor transmission. The incubation period ranges from 3 to 35 days. After a person gets sick, he develops lifelong immunity (protection against infection) to one viral type (but there are polioviruses types 1, 2 and 3). Only vaccination completely protects against infections of all three types. You can get vaccinated against polio at the RebenOK clinic at the best prices in Moscow.
Why is polio dangerous?
Most infections (>95%) are asymptomatic, but antibodies are produced. If there are signs of illness, there are different pictures of the disease:
· Abortive polio: inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract (gastroenteritis), fever, nausea, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches without central nervous system involvement.
· Non-paralytic poliomyelitis (aseptic meningitis): inflammation of the meninges without paralysis.
· Paralytic polio (1 in 200 infections) with typical symptoms of paralysis: independent breathing may become impossible and lifelong use of mechanical ventilation may be required. Paralysis can also lead to death.
Even decades after infection, post-poliotic syndrome may occur. There is no cure for polio. Only symptomatic therapy is prescribed to eliminate discomfort.
Disease history
The second name of polio is infantile spinal paralysis, which affects children aged 5 months to 6 years. Poliomyelitis
is a highly contagious disease. It is caused by a polyvirus that can be transmitted by airborne droplets, insects, and dirty hands or food. Moreover, the polyvirus can exist in the external environment for almost six months; it tolerates drying and freezing well.
What is immunity
Immunity protects not only from microbes, but also from everything foreign in general: parasites, viruses, foreign tissues, and even one’s own cells altered by the oncological process. Alexey Agafonov, a researcher at the allergology department of the clinic of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, talks about how immunity works.
If a person has had polio asymptomatically, he becomes invisible to others, but a very dangerous
carrier of the infection
.
The polio virus infects
the gray membrane of the spinal cord and motor nerve cells. Most often, the disease ends in the death of some nerve cells, paralysis of individual muscle groups and their atrophy. In most cases, a person who has recovered from polio becomes severely disabled.
Types of vaccines
Various vaccines are available, which are administered by a doctor using a syringe in several single doses. Polio vaccination for infants is often combined with other vaccines. The combination vaccine is distributed over four single doses: the first is given to infants at the age of 3 months, the last - in the second year of life.
Types of polio vaccines:
· Vaccination with OPV (oral polio vaccine).
It comes in the form of drops and contains weakened forms of two types of viruses. Passive immunity is produced in the intestines.
· Vaccination IPV (inactivated vaccine).
It has the form of a homogeneous suspension, available in disposable 0.5 ml syringes. It contains three types of “dead” viruses.
OPV is cheaper. The drug is produced in Russia and has good reviews. Inactivated polio vaccine is an imported product. The drugs have certain differences and have their own side effects and positive aspects.
The RebenOK clinic uses several drugs. Names of the polio vaccine:
· "Pentaxim". Designed for children from three months of age. The national vaccination schedule involves three injections with an interval of one and a half months and further revaccination after a year. The second revaccination (fifth administration of the drug) is carried out with OPV or IPV.
· "Bivouac Polio". Live polio vaccine, which consists of three doses of a weakened oral vaccine and two doses of an inactivated vaccine. It is carried out in the first year of life. Booster vaccination against polio is carried out one year after receiving the first dose.
· "Infarix Hexa". A combined drug that does not have strict preparation requirements. The vaccine is effective against polio, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, Haemophilus influenzae, and hepatitis B.
· "Polimilex". A single drug that is widely used for the prevention of polio. Injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly. The drug is “dead”, so it cannot cause the development of the disease.
The choice of drug remains with the doctor. Many experts prefer to use combination vaccines. If a child has contraindications, then single medications are prescribed.
Current state of the problem
According to Rospotrebnadzor, in 2019-2020, outbreaks of polio were observed in Ethiopia, Congo, the Philippines and a number of other African countries. Due to the lack of vaccination, there is still a high probability of epidemics in Iran, Iraq, Ukraine, Syria and many others.
ON A NOTE! In 2002, as a result of the actions of anti-vaxxers, residents of Tajikistan were “freed” from polio vaccination; it became optional. As a result, only a small proportion of children were able to receive the vaccine. In 2010, the country was faced with an outbreak of morbidity - the infection was brought from India, more than seven hundred children were infected, and 21 children died. Only thanks to international assistance, drugs were quickly brought into the country and almost three million children were immunized. (according to RIA Novosti)
In Russia, there is no talk of a mass spread of polio yet, and this is only thanks to vaccination. However, more and more often in the news there are reports of outbreaks of the disease among visitors (for example, from Chechnya), as well as data from Rospotrebnadzor on cases of vaccine-associated polio.
Meanwhile, scientists predict an epidemic situation in the near future. This is due, firstly, to the mutation of the virus, secondly, to the cyclical nature of its activation (about 12-15 years), and thirdly, to the lack of literacy of modern young parents. Considering the polio vaccine to be a “relic of the past,” and the disease itself long forgotten and eradicated, they refuse to vaccinate their children, exposing them and those around them to terrible danger.
In connection with the above, every parent should think carefully before refusing vaccination. This behavior endangers the health and life of not only your child, but also those around you. After all, it is only thanks to vaccinated children that the pathology does not manifest itself aggressively, and unvaccinated children grow up not knowing what polio is.
Advantages and disadvantages
Polio vaccination is usually given in infancy as part of basic immunization, along with the other five routine vaccinations. Poliomyelitis is a serious infectious disease, which in its development stage leads to disability if the gray matter of the spinal cord is damaged. Benefits of polio vaccination:
· allows you to avoid infection and prevent disability, skeletal deformities and paralysis;
· the vaccinated person develops immunity from the disease, so even if infected, the child will tolerate the disease much easier;
· Adverse reactions after vaccination are mostly absent.
Many believe that the vaccine has shortcomings that result in the development of the disease polio. But the probability of such an outcome is no more than 1 case in 2.7 million people.
Vaccination is not dangerous to the life and health of the child. The goal is to protect against future infection by creating a barrier against infection. The most harmless is the inactive vaccine.
Principles and purposes of vaccination
Polio is a serious disease that affects the nervous system and can lead to paralysis in a matter of hours. Poliomyelitis is incurable, it can only be prevented. When given repeatedly, the polio vaccine can protect a child for life.
Vaccination against polio is carried out everywhere. According to the National Vaccination Calendar of the Russian Federation, the first two vaccinations are carried out with IPV, the third and subsequent revaccinations are carried out with OPV. In addition to vaccination and revaccination of children, revaccination of adults is carried out if they travel to areas dangerous for polio.
Currently, under the auspices of WHO, a program to eradicate polio from the Earth is being implemented. Russia is certified as a country free from wild poliovirus. But as long as there is at least one infected child in the world, children in all countries are at risk of contracting polio.
Failure to eradicate polio from these remaining persistent foci could result in up to 200,000 new cases of the disease occurring annually worldwide within 10 years.
Adverse reactions
The combination polio vaccine, often used in infants, is generally well tolerated. There may be redness or painful swelling at the injection site. Allergic reactions are also possible.
As the immune system reacts to the vaccine, it may temporarily cause various illnesses. These include, for example:
· headaches and aches;
· gastrointestinal discomfort;
· fever and fatigue;
· irritability and chills.
These vaccination reactions usually resolve on their own within 1-3 days.
Why is vaccination needed?
Poliomyelitis is a disease whose outbreaks still occur today, especially in Asian countries. The borders of Russia are open to everyone. No one will be able to determine whether a child has arrived on Russian territory or not. The disease is highly contagious, and you can get sick from it by being in the same room as someone who is sick. That is why the optimal means of protection against polio is considered to be a timely set of vaccinations and revaccinations.
Etiopathogenesis of polio virus
Is there a fever after vaccination?
Children may develop a fever after receiving the polio vaccine. This reaction is considered normal and indicates that the body has begun to produce antibodies necessary to fight the virus. A slight increase in body temperature is observed in 1-4% of patients. The temperature may rise to 37.5-38.6 degrees. If the readings exceed a moderate level, then you should take an antipyretic drug.
How the polio virus was discovered
The very first attempts to study polio were made by an orthopedic doctor from the Netherlands, Jacob Heine. In 1840, he systematized data about the disease and described its characteristic features. Heine suggested that the underlying pathology was infection.
In 1907, a scientist from Sweden, Wikman, classified the clinical signs of the disease, and in 1908, polio was reproduced in experiments with monkeys - Popper and Landsteiner injected the animals with a drug obtained from the spinal cord of a sick child. All tests for bacteria were negative, so the researchers assumed a viral origin of the disease.
ON A NOTE! The virus is highly resistant to external factors. It tolerates drying and freezing well; it is not affected by digestive tract enzymes, chemicals, or antibiotics. It remains viable for three months in an aquatic environment and for six months in feces. But it does not tolerate UV rays, disinfectants and high temperatures.
The main “objects” of the polio virus are children under five years of age. An unvaccinated adult can also get sick, but in this case the pathology will be especially severe. Infection is possible by drinking water or food, or through surrounding objects. Most often, the virus is activated in the summer and autumn.
Oddly enough, the disease began to take on an epidemic character as the level of hygiene and comfort of the population increased. Scientists have found that it is better for a person to come into contact with the pathogen in infancy - the supply of maternal antibodies is sufficient for immunity to be formed when encountering the virus. With an increased desire for cleanliness and sterility, such a meeting does not occur. As a result, in the future, as maternal protection is spent, the likelihood of infection increases sharply.
In 1949-1951, a group of scientists discovered that the virus that causes polio could multiply in cultural media. This discovery made it possible not only to begin the active development of diagnostic and preventive methods, but also to begin the search for a vaccine. In 1954, Frederick Robbins, John Enders and Thomas Weller received the Nobel Prize for it.
How many vaccinations are given against polio?
The Russian national vaccination calendar provides the following polio vaccination schedule:
· in the 1st year of life – at 3,4,5 and 6 months;
· in the 2nd year of life – at 18 and 20 months;
· at the age of 14 – once.
In accordance with the Russian calendar, the first two vaccinations are carried out with IPV, the third – with OPV. The vaccination course involves the use of only inactivated vaccines. When two doses of OPV are administered, it is possible to provide high local protection in the intestine. With continued use of live vaccines, the risk of developing vaccine-associated poliomyelitis is reduced.
Are there any restrictions
In some cases, vaccination cannot be done. Contraindications to immunization against polio:
- pregnancy;
- immunodeficiencies of various origins;
- allergy to the components of the drug (neomycin, streptomycin);
- severe reaction to a previous vaccination;
- colds, acute respiratory infections;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases.
In the last two cases, vaccination should be postponed until complete recovery. In a state of reduced immunity, vaccination can cause negative consequences.
Children with immunodeficiency cannot receive a vaccine based on live strains of the virus (OPV). In this case, the possibility of vaccinating them with an inactivated vaccine (IPV) is being discussed.
Tips for parents
If a child often has allergic reactions or is allergic, then vaccination is possible only during the period of remission. There is no need to use any medications before administering the vaccine.
If your child experiences the following symptoms after vaccination, you should consult a doctor:
· appearance of signs of acute respiratory infections (runny nose, cough, etc.);
· dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract;
· shortness of breath, decreased muscle tone of the limbs.
We are talking about signs of vaccine-associated polio, which may appear 4-30 days after OPV administration. A visit to the pediatrician is necessary if there is an irregular heartbeat, urticaria or severe headaches.
After vaccination, it is recommended to avoid visiting crowded places. The child should be given more purified water to drink, and allergenic foods should be excluded from the diet.
FAQ
Parents tend to be interested in details regarding immunization. They ask how many polio shots are given , whether children are contagious, when is the best time to get vaccinated, how best to prepare, and what to consider. Doctors give comprehensive answers to the most common questions.
Is the polio vaccine safe for children?
Vaccination with a drug based on inactivated viruses is absolutely safe. Non-living pathogens are not able to provoke the development of the disease. There is a risk of contracting polio after vaccination if the vaccination is carried out with an oral preparation. In practice, the frequency of such cases is 1 in a million. Children with immunodeficiency and gastrointestinal diseases are at risk. Patients who have suffered a vaccine-associated form of pathology can only be vaccinated with IPV.
Due to their heavy workload, doctors do not always have the opportunity to instruct parents on how to properly prepare for immunization and what to do after vaccinations against polio and DPT. Here's what you need to know:
- the day before vaccination, blood and urine tests are taken. The referral is issued by the pediatrician.
- Shortly before the procedure, you need to feed the child his usual food that does not cause allergies. It is worth avoiding any foods that can cause digestive upset. It is recommended to stick to a gentle menu for several days after immunization.
- If you have a fever after getting a polio vaccine, this may indicate an infectious disease. Some parents mistakenly take a high temperature for a complication after vaccination and do not consult a doctor, making do with antipyretic drugs. This behavior is unacceptable.
When is the best time to reschedule the vaccine?
If the baby has recently been ill and is still weak, vaccination is postponed to a time when he feels good. If a child visits a child care facility and quarantine is declared there, the doctor must make sure that he is healthy. Vaccination is also postponed if complications have previously appeared after vaccination with DTP or other vaccines. In this case, the pediatrician monitors the baby’s condition.
Are children contagious after polio vaccination?
There is a chance of contracting polio after vaccination if a live vaccine is used. The following categories are at risk:
- children suffering from congenital pathologies of the digestive system;
- patients with impaired immunological reactivity;
- pregnant women (both mother and child are at risk of infection).
The incidence of the disease is 1 case in 500 thousand - 2 million doses. In many countries this has led to the abandonment of OPV use. In Russia, this type of vaccine is still used.
Parents are wondering whether it is possible to have contact with unvaccinated children. Theoretically, a baby vaccinated with a live vaccine is dangerous for some people. It is worth limiting contacts with the following categories of the population:
- undergoing chemotherapy;
- HIV-infected;
- unvaccinated children with congenital immunodeficiency;
- persons taking drugs to suppress the immune system.
In practice, it is difficult to follow this recommendation, so for the first few days after vaccination it is better not to visit crowded places so as not to expose them to the risk of infection.
How to prepare a child
The pediatrician will tell you what tests your child needs to do. Only healthy babies can be vaccinated. There should be no cough, runny nose, fever, indigestion or allergic symptoms. Breakfast should be light, drinking should not be too much. When going to the clinic, you need to dress your child so that he does not get cold or sweat.
Is it possible to get vaccinated if you have a runny nose?
On the day you are vaccinated against polio, you should not have a runny nose. If parents suspect that the baby is sick, but are not sure, they should consult a pediatrician. Perhaps the baby develops ARVI or the flu, then the vaccination will have to be rescheduled.
Should you bathe your baby?
You can bathe your child after vaccination, being careful, including not allowing him to freeze. However, on the day of vaccination it is better to do without swimming. The next day, short-term water procedures are allowed without using a washcloth. In the following days, the baby is washed as usual. It is recommended to check with your pediatrician about whether it is possible to bathe your child after polio vaccination if the baby has chronic diseases. In this case, it is better to play it safe.
Warning for the unvaccinated
The stated goal of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to eradicate polio, and Russia is also committed to this goal. However, polio is still found in Pakistan, Afghanistan or Nigeria and can also be carried by tourists into the Russian Federation. Therefore, polio vaccination is still recommended, important and necessary.
Everyone should be vaccinated against polio, ideally as early as infancy. People who were not vaccinated as children, or whose vaccination status is unknown, should catch up on polio vaccination.
There were no effective treatments
How did they try to treat polio? At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when the disease acquired the character of epidemics, the sick ended up in hospitals for a long time: for months and even years. Unfortunately, the consequences of paralysis in most cases remained for life and could not be treated.
If the virus affected the muscles of the diaphragm, patients were placed in so-called “iron lungs” - boxes in which pressure changes helped the lungs work.
The worst thing is that this treatment did not help. Children and adults infected with the virus lived and died while shackled in a metal structure. After spending a year in such a chamber, the patients' respiratory muscles atrophied; they could not even be connected to modern artificial stimulation devices. By the way, there are still people who use “iron lungs”; unfortunately, it is not possible for them to return to normal life.
The most important
In 2010, an uninvited guest appeared in our country - a “wild” strain of the polio virus.
To prevent children at risk - aged 5 months to 6 years - from becoming infected, starting in 2011 they will be vaccinated with a “live” vaccine. If all vaccinations from birth are done on time, this vaccine does not pose any danger to the child. Tags:
- Safety
- Babies
- Immunity
- Vaccinations
2 comments • To leave a comment you must be an authorized user
- dubinina081275 I'm shocked!
- cherkas-lyubov85 I am generally against vaccinations!! Why don't they talk about complications after vaccinations?? But children from vaccinations become disabled not from illness, but from your vaccines!!
