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Polio: What is it and how does it spread? | Polio: What is it and how does it spread? |
(6 months later) | |
The virus that causes polio has been found in a concerning number of sewage samples in London and all children aged one to nine years old are to be offered a polio booster jab. | The virus that causes polio has been found in a concerning number of sewage samples in London and all children aged one to nine years old are to be offered a polio booster jab. |
There have been no confirmed cases of people becoming ill with the disease in the UK, but health officials want to ensure children in London are completely protected. | There have been no confirmed cases of people becoming ill with the disease in the UK, but health officials want to ensure children in London are completely protected. |
What is polio and how does it spread? | What is polio and how does it spread? |
It can be a serious infection, caused by a virus which spreads easily through contact with the faeces (poo) of an infected person or less commonly through droplets when they cough or sneeze. | It can be a serious infection, caused by a virus which spreads easily through contact with the faeces (poo) of an infected person or less commonly through droplets when they cough or sneeze. |
It mostly affects children under five years old. | It mostly affects children under five years old. |
The majority of people with the infection have no symptoms but some feel like they have the flu with: | The majority of people with the infection have no symptoms but some feel like they have the flu with: |
a high temperature | a high temperature |
sore throat | sore throat |
headache | headache |
stomach pain | stomach pain |
aching muscles | aching muscles |
feeling sick | feeling sick |
A small number of infected people - between one in a thousand and one in a hundred - develop more serious problems where polio invades the nervous system. This causes paralysis, usually of the legs. | A small number of infected people - between one in a thousand and one in a hundred - develop more serious problems where polio invades the nervous system. This causes paralysis, usually of the legs. |
This is not normally permanent and movement often comes back gradually. | This is not normally permanent and movement often comes back gradually. |
But it can be life-threatening - particularly if paralysis affects muscles used for breathing. | But it can be life-threatening - particularly if paralysis affects muscles used for breathing. |
What age do you get the polio vaccine? | What age do you get the polio vaccine? |
The UK used to use a highly effective oral polio vaccine that came as drops. It has switched to the newer, injectable form. | The UK used to use a highly effective oral polio vaccine that came as drops. It has switched to the newer, injectable form. |
The NHS offers five doses from the ages of 8 weeks to 14 years as part of routine childhood jabs. | The NHS offers five doses from the ages of 8 weeks to 14 years as part of routine childhood jabs. |
People need to have all five doses of the vaccination to be fully immunised against the disease. | People need to have all five doses of the vaccination to be fully immunised against the disease. |
How are children being protected? | How are children being protected? |
Parents and carers of nearly one million children in Greater London will be contacted by their GP within the next month so they can get another polio vaccine, called a booster. | Parents and carers of nearly one million children in Greater London will be contacted by their GP within the next month so they can get another polio vaccine, called a booster. |
Experts say this will act as an extra precaution to stop polio spreading, even for children who are already up to date with their vaccines. | Experts say this will act as an extra precaution to stop polio spreading, even for children who are already up to date with their vaccines. |
The NHS in London is contacting contact parents when it's their child's turn to come forward. | The NHS in London is contacting contact parents when it's their child's turn to come forward. |
Parents are urged to take up the offer of the top-up dose - whether it's a booster or a catch-up one they had missed - as soon as possible. | Parents are urged to take up the offer of the top-up dose - whether it's a booster or a catch-up one they had missed - as soon as possible. |
This is to make sure they have a high level of protection from paralysis. | This is to make sure they have a high level of protection from paralysis. |
How many children have been vaccinated? | How many children have been vaccinated? |
Take-up of the first three doses is about 86% in London, well below target levels, with the rest of the UK at over 92%. | Take-up of the first three doses is about 86% in London, well below target levels, with the rest of the UK at over 92%. |
This may in part be down to some populations in the capital moving regularly, making it harder to access vaccines at the right time. | This may in part be down to some populations in the capital moving regularly, making it harder to access vaccines at the right time. |
Figures for 2020/21 suggest some 34,000 children aged five in London had not received their fourth dose out of five. | Figures for 2020/21 suggest some 34,000 children aged five in London had not received their fourth dose out of five. |
Is polio a problem worldwide? | Is polio a problem worldwide? |
Cases have decreased by more than 99% since 1988, from an estimated 350,000 cases in more than 125 countries then to 175 reported globally in 2019. | Cases have decreased by more than 99% since 1988, from an estimated 350,000 cases in more than 125 countries then to 175 reported globally in 2019. |
All continents, except Asia, have been certified as polio free. | All continents, except Asia, have been certified as polio free. |
History of polio | History of polio |
The last person recorded to have acquired the wild virus in the UK was in 1984. | The last person recorded to have acquired the wild virus in the UK was in 1984. |
There are a few countries where the disease is still found - it includes war-torn Afghanistan and Pakistan, where it has been difficult to vaccinate everyone. | There are a few countries where the disease is still found - it includes war-torn Afghanistan and Pakistan, where it has been difficult to vaccinate everyone. |
Globally, 83% of infants had received three doses of polio vaccine in 2020, according to the World Health Organization. | Globally, 83% of infants had received three doses of polio vaccine in 2020, according to the World Health Organization. |
Are there different kinds of polio? | Are there different kinds of polio? |
Wild poliovirus is the most commonly known form. | Wild poliovirus is the most commonly known form. |
But there is another type linked to the oral form of the vaccine. | But there is another type linked to the oral form of the vaccine. |
The vaccine offers excellent protection against wild polio, is easy to use and has been deployed by many countries around the world - keeping millions of people safe. | The vaccine offers excellent protection against wild polio, is easy to use and has been deployed by many countries around the world - keeping millions of people safe. |
However, it contains a weakened, live form of the virus which can replicate harmlessly in the gut. But that means some is then excreted in poo. | However, it contains a weakened, live form of the virus which can replicate harmlessly in the gut. But that means some is then excreted in poo. |
In rare cases, this weakened form can spread to unvaccinated people. | In rare cases, this weakened form can spread to unvaccinated people. |
Over a long period the vaccine-derived virus might change to become more like wild polio. | Over a long period the vaccine-derived virus might change to become more like wild polio. |
Many industrialised countries now use the newer injectable form which contains a killed version of the virus. | Many industrialised countries now use the newer injectable form which contains a killed version of the virus. |
Both vaccines are safe and effective. | Both vaccines are safe and effective. |
In the last decade - a period during which more than 10 billion doses of oral polio vaccine were given worldwide - vaccine-derived-polio virus outbreaks resulted in fewer than 800 cases. | In the last decade - a period during which more than 10 billion doses of oral polio vaccine were given worldwide - vaccine-derived-polio virus outbreaks resulted in fewer than 800 cases. |
In the same period, in the absence of vaccination with the oral polio vaccine, more than 6.5 million children would have been paralysed by wild poliovirus. | In the same period, in the absence of vaccination with the oral polio vaccine, more than 6.5 million children would have been paralysed by wild poliovirus. |
Why is the polio virus back? | Why is the polio virus back? |
A tiny number of samples of the polio virus are detected each year in the UK during sewage surveillance. However, this is the first time that a genetically-linked cluster has been found repeatedly over a period of months. | A tiny number of samples of the polio virus are detected each year in the UK during sewage surveillance. However, this is the first time that a genetically-linked cluster has been found repeatedly over a period of months. |
The polio virus detected in London most likely came from someone who had recently received an oral polio vaccine. | The polio virus detected in London most likely came from someone who had recently received an oral polio vaccine. |
They will then have shed the weakened vaccine virus in their stools. | They will then have shed the weakened vaccine virus in their stools. |
It is likely it was then passed on to another person at this point and has since infected some others. None have sought medical help though. | It is likely it was then passed on to another person at this point and has since infected some others. None have sought medical help though. |
Similar traces of the virus, which could be linked, have also been found in sewage in Jerusalem, in Israel, and in New York state in the United States. | Similar traces of the virus, which could be linked, have also been found in sewage in Jerusalem, in Israel, and in New York state in the United States. |
How much of a problem is it? | How much of a problem is it? |
The UK is so far taking the right approach, according to Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust. | The UK is so far taking the right approach, according to Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust. |
"It's a credit to the surveillance systems, it's a credit UK Health Security Agency for picking this up and then taking the right public health approaches." | "It's a credit to the surveillance systems, it's a credit UK Health Security Agency for picking this up and then taking the right public health approaches." |
And Prof Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at UEA, said getting more people vaccinated would help stop the virus. | And Prof Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at UEA, said getting more people vaccinated would help stop the virus. |
Graphics by Visual Journalism Team | Graphics by Visual Journalism Team |
Related Topics | |
Children | |
Vaccination | |
London | |
Viruses |