Poliomyelitis

By: Thelma Molina & Rick Carrillo

What is Poliomyelitis?
polio= gray matter
Myelitis= inflammation of the spinal cord
This disease result in the destruction of

motor neurons caused by the poliovirus.

Polio is causes by a virus that attacks the
nerve cells of the brain & spinal cord
although not all infections result in sever
injuries and paralysis.

When was it reported?

Poliomyelitis was recorded in the late

1700s with the first epidemic in the late

1800s.
The cases that were reported in 1979
where mild and self-limited and do not
result in paralysis.

How is polio transmitted?

Poliovirus is transmitted through both oral

and fical routes with implantation and

replication occurring in either the
orapgaryngeal and or in the intestine of
mucosa. Polio cases are most infected for
7-10 days before and after clinical
symptoms begin.

What are the symptoms?

Many include fever, pharyngitis,

headache, anorexia, nausea, and

vomiting. Illness may progress to aseptic
meningitis and menigoencephalitis in 1%
to 4% of patients. These patients develop
a higher fever, myalia and sever headache
with stiffness of the neck and back.

Polio in children

Can it cause paralyzes?

Paralytic disease occurs 0.1% to 1% of those

who become infected with the polio virus.
Paralysis of the respiratory muscles or from
cardiac arrest if the neurons in the medulla
oblongata are destroyed.
Patients have some or full recovery from
paralysis usually apparent with proximally 6
months
Physical therapy is recommended for full
recovery.

Treatment
Bed rest with close monitoring of

respiratory and cardiovascular functioning

is essential during the acute stage of
poliomyelitis along with fever control and
pain relievers for muscle spasms.
Mechanical ventilation, respiratory therapy
may be needed depending of the severity
of patients.

Vaccine

Polio vaccine first appeared to be licensed in the

United States in 1955.
Advantages:
Ease to administration
Good local mucosal immunity
Disadvantage:
Strict cold shipping & storage requirements
Multiple doses required to achieve high humeral
conservation rates against all virus types

Vaccine (continuation)

Babies are given 4 doses through out their

infancy.
Adolescents and adults should get vaccinated
as well. Adolescents younger than 18 should
receive the routine four doses.
You should get it if you travel outside places
where polio id still an epidemic

What is post polio syndrome?

This can affect between 25 to 50 serious of polio. they

show symptoms of muscle and joint pain general fatigue
and weakness.
Three indications of PPS
Previous diagnoses of polio ( late affect of polio to
people that got it like when they where 10 years old)
Long interval following recovery( people usually live long
but effect can occur during 30 to 35 years after the
diagnoses)
Gradual onset (weakness that tends to be perceptible
until it interferes with daily activities)

Statistics
Polio was one of the most dreaded child

disease in the 20th century in the U.S.

An epidemic in 1916 killed 6,000 people
and left 27,000 more paralyzed.
In 1950 parents would not let their children
go to local swimming pools or movies
because of the polio virus.

Polio fact
The march of dimes began in 1938 a fundraising campaign for polio. People were
asked to send one dime directly to the
White House to help fight the disease. In
the first 3 days the White House received
230,000 dimes. President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, whose profile is now on the
dimes was himself paralyzed by polio.

Work cited

The new England

medical journal
www.nejm.org
Human Anatomy &
Physiology
Sixth edition Elaine N.
Marieb

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