A bit Fancy - A bit Dancy - Same Dilbar - Same Site with a New Look!

POLIO & VACCINE

What is polio?
Polio is a disease caused by a virus. It enters a child's or adults body through the mouth. Sometimes it does not cause serious illness. But sometimes it causes Paralysis i.e. you can't move arm or leg. It can kill people who get it, usually by paralyzing the muscles that help them breathe.

Polio used to be a very common disease. It paralyzed and killed thousands of people before the vaccine for it was discovered.

Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) can prevent polio.
The study shows that the history of this disease had very wild results. Taking the example of the country from which this epidemic is totally eliminated, we would like to tell the disaster it caused in past.

In 1916 polio epidemic in US only killed 6000 people and paralyzed 27000,more. In early 1950's there were more than 20,000 cases of polio each year. Polio vaccination was begun in 1955. By 1960 the number of cases had dropped to about 3000 and by 1979 there were only about 10. The success of Polio vaccination in other countries and US sparked a worldwide effort to eliminate polio. Today in US no wild polio has been reported for last 20 years. But this disease is still common in many countries. In India government provides free Polio vaccination camps twice a year for the eradication of this wild disease from the country.

This wild disease needs only one case of polio from another country where Polio is common, it will be back in the countries from where this disease has totally eliminated to show its wildness. So Polio vaccine is necessary till this epidemic is totally removed from this earth.

▲Back to top

Who should Get Polio Vaccine and When?
There are two kinds of polio vaccine IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine) and OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine); OPV is drops that are swallowed and IPV is a shot given in the leg or arm, depending on age. Polio vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccine.

Children: Children get 4 doses of IPV, at these ages:
First dose at 2 months
Second dose at 4 months
Third dose at 6-18 months
Last a booster dose at 4-6years.

Adults: Adults do not need Polio vaccine if they were already vaccinated as children. But three groups of adults are at higher risk and should consider polio vaccination:
People who travel to the areas of the world where Polio is common.
People who work in the laboratory which handles Polio virus, and
Health care workers treating patients who could have Polio.

▲Back to top

Adults in these three groups who have never been vaccinated against polio should get 3 doses of IPV
First dose at any time.
Second dose 1 to 2 months later,
Third dose 6 to 12 months after the second.

Adults in these three groups who have had 3 or more doses of Polio vaccine (either OPV or IPV) in the past may get a booster dose of IPV.

IPV is not suitable to all, some people should not get IPV:
Anyone who has ever had a life threatening allergic reaction to the antibiotics neomycin, streptomycin or polymyxin B should not get the polio shot.
Anyone who has a severe allergic reaction to a polio shot should not get another one.

▲Back to top

Some people should wait for IPV:
Anyone who is moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled should usually wait until they recover before getting polio vaccine. People with minor illnesses, such as a cold, may be vaccinated.

Risks from IPV
Some people who get IPV get a sore spot where the shot was given. The vaccine used today has never been known to cause any serious problems, and most people don't have any problems at all with it.
However, a vaccine, like any medicine, could cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reaction. The risk of polio shot causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small.

▲Back to top

What to do if there is a serious reaction?
If a serious allergic reaction occurred, it would happen within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot. Signs of a serious allergic reaction can include difficulty in breathing, weakness, hoarseness or wheezing, a fast heart beat, hives, dizziness, paleness or swelling of the throat.

What to do?
Call a doctor, or get the person to a doctor right away.
Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when the vaccination was given.

Print │ Back│ Top

 

Coming Soon!