We rarely think about how many insidious diseases surround us in everyday life. And we sound the alarm even when our health begins to deteriorate. That is why doctors strongly recommend that young parents give their children all the necessary vaccinations in order to avoid serious illness in the future. One of these measures is polio vaccination. But what is this disease and how is polio transmitted? How is it treated, and how serious are the consequences? Is it worth putting the baby at risk by agreeing to a routine vaccine against polio? Let's figure it out together.
Infantile spinal paralysis
Polio is also called childhood spinal paralysis, but such an illness may well manifest itself in an adult. How is polio transmitted? Its causative agent is poliovirus hominis poliovirus, which penetrates the body of a healthy person through the mucous membrane of the respiratory system or oral cavity. It enters the lymphatic system, where it multiplies successfully, and after that it enters the bloodstream. So it spreads throughout the body and can settle in the central nervous system, causing serious irreversible disorders in the human body, leading to paralysis. The main risk group is small children under the age of 10 years. But an adult can become infected, especially if in childhood he was not vaccinated against polio. In adults, the disease is very aggressive and causes severe consequences.
How the virus spreads
How is poliomyelitis virus transmitted? The carrier of the pathogen is an infected person, less often - flies transporting poliovirus on themselves. Most often, infection occurs by the oral-fecal route, that is, the virus can be picked up through unwashed hands, contaminated food, or general household items. Poliomyelitis is also transmitted by airborne droplets. The virus is widespread throughout the world. But in our life we are faced with such cases extremely rarely, thanks to widespread vaccination. It was she who saved the developed countries from an insidious disease, but in African countries and South Asia, outbreaks are still epidemic in nature. If you plan to travel abroad, but have never been vaccinated against poliomyelitis, you must contact the medical institution for the appropriate vaccination.
Symptoms of atypical polio
Now we know what polio is, how it is transmitted. Signs and symptoms of the disease - this is another insidiousness of this disease. The fact is that with an atypical form, the disease proceeds with symptoms that are very similar to a common cold. The infected person has a headache, fever, malaise, sore throat, which is sometimes confused with angina. Sometimes the disease proceeds and with little pronounced symptoms and goes unnoticed. In cases where the infected person’s body overcame the virus on its own, it develops immunity, and the likelihood of re-infection is almost zero.
In total, several stages of how polio manifests itself are distinguished. Causes and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and further prognosis are formed depending on the type and course of the disease.
Typical polio: symptoms
Such a disease is fraught with a violation of the functions of the nervous system. There are several stages of its course:
- Preparative - it manifests itself in the same way as atypical polio. Symptoms resemble acute respiratory infections, sometimes combined with an upset digestive system. This condition lasts from 3 to 5 days, and after that comes improvement. The patient thinks that the cold has receded, but after the illness returns, and other symptoms are added to it: a sharp deterioration in well-being, severe headaches, soreness in the back and limbs. Sometimes confusion occurs. The disease goes on to the next stage.
- Paralytic - muscle tone decreases , and after a few hours, paralysis occurs. Muscle pain is added to the general symptoms. The lower extremities are usually affected, less commonly the muscles of the trunk and neck. In the latter case, respiratory failure may develop, the patient cannot swallow normally. This condition can last from several days to several weeks. After improvement comes, and the disease flows into the next stage.
- Recovery period - the motor function quickly begins to return to normal, but over time, recovery slows down. This period can stretch to several years. There is no guarantee that the patient will be able to recover completely from the disease. In a patient who is ill, residual poliomyelitis syndrome may be fixed.
Effects
It is important to know how polio is transmitted, how to protect yourself from it, and regularly observe preventive measures. This disease refers to those that are easier to prevent than to deal with the consequences. With the onset of a severe paralytic form of the disease, polio leaves a memory of itself until the end of a person's life. More than half of patients live with constant muscle weakness or other pathologies. In those muscle groups that have been exposed to the disease, over time, weakness can develop even more, up to complete atrophy. With age, this condition may worsen. One third of paralytic patients remain disabled.
But for people who have suffered a mild form of polio, the prognosis is very good. In this state, CNS disorders do not occur, because a person recovers completely, having received immunity to polio, which will persist until the end of life.
Diagnostics
There are a large number of diseases that are similar to polio. Whoever is sick, symptoms, prevention and many other factors play a role in the collection of anamnesis. With a mild form, the presence of the virus is usually manifested by fever or other symptoms similar to the common cold. A potential patient with suspected polio is prescribed a smear to detect the virus and lumbar puncture. With polio, it will show an increased protein level and an increase in the number of lymphocytes. Further treatment is carried out only in a medical institution with limited access for visitors.
There is still no cure
Each person needs to know how polio is transmitted and what needs to be done to prevent the disease, because there is no cure for poliomyelitis. There are no antibiotics for this virus. It tolerates cold well, remains in the environment for a long time and does not collapse under the influence of gastric juices. The only weapon that can defeat the insidious virus is the immunity that the body produces after a disease or vaccination.
Treatment
Supportive treatment is prescribed. Patients are placed in isolated boxes where they will stay for 40 days. They must strictly observe bed rest, this will reduce the likelihood of complications. Drugs are prescribed symptomatically, vitamins are indicated. In severe cases, when respiratory function is impaired, the patient undergoes mechanical ventilation. For the prevention of joint function, hot compresses in the painful muscle zone are indicated. During the recovery period, patients are prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures: massage, baths and physiotherapy exercises. If there are residual effects after the disease, the person is shown orthopedic treatment aimed at preventing further deformation and improving the quality of life.
Prevention
How is polio transmitted? In case of non-observance of personal hygiene rules and direct contact with a sick person. Therefore, you should strictly adhere to sanitary standards. Only fresh and clean products should be used in food, water should be boiled, and hands should be washed as often as possible.
The virus is destroyed by boiling, afraid of chlorine-containing substances, and is destroyed by ultraviolet radiation. In the room where the patient was, you need to conduct a thorough disinfectant cleaning. Some things can be boiled, and the room itself can be decontaminated with ultraviolet lamps. Those in contact with an infected person are quarantined for 2-3 weeks. Do not tempt fate once again and go on a trip to countries where polio is often found. And remember: the only guarantee for preventing the disease is polio vaccination. Every young parent should know the characteristics of the vaccine.
Vaccine for the baby: yes or no?
Recently, more and more parents refuse routine vaccinations to their babies. The reasons for this can be very different: from unwillingness to expose the child's body to the vaccine once again to banal negligence, because terrible diseases today are not so common. But it should be remembered that the more people pass this vaccine in childhood, the greater their chances of not only getting sick in the future, but also becoming a member of this epidemic. Also, parents often ask how polio is transmitted after vaccination and whether it is transmitted at all.
In modern medicine, vaccines are used that practically do not cause any complications. Such a chance exists, but it is negligible - 1: 2.5 million people. To avoid this fate, you just need to follow clear instructions. So, for children with weakened immunity, the introduction of a vaccine is contraindicated. In rare cases, an allergic reaction to the drug may occur, in which case subsequent vaccination is canceled. Such cancellation will not cause serious consequences for the baby’s health.
Do I sign a refusal to vaccinate my child or do I risk and agree? This decision can be made only by you. Thoroughly consider your choice, if necessary - visit several specialists at once, talk with parents who have already passed this stage, read additional medical literature. But remember: only immunization of children at an early age can protect them from a terrible disease in 99% of cases. Unfortunately, there is no other alternative.
To summarize
History remembers many occasions when a tiny virus challenged humanity to a duel. How many of these will happen to us, but how many will be avoided? To date, we have been able to curb the polio virus and we hope that soon it will not remain in any corner of the globe. And timely vaccination against a terrible disease will help us with this.
Be healthy!