What Is Polio in Humans?
Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. It mainly affects children under five and can lead to permanent paralysis or death. The virus spreads through contact with fecal matter or, less commonly, through droplets from a sneeze or cough.
Symptoms and How Polio Spreads
Most infected people show no symptoms but can still spread the virus. Some develop fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs. In a small percentage of cases, the virus attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis, often in the legs.
Prevention Through Vaccination
There is no cure for polio, but safe and effective vaccines can prevent it entirely. The inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) is given as an injection, while the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) is used in many mass campaigns. Global vaccination efforts have reduced polio cases by over 99% since 1988. For more information, visit the World Health Organization page on polio.
