The polio virus is an extremely contagious microorganism known to cause paralysis and oftentimes death. Polio is an abbreviated term for the disease poliomyelitis. Three different strains of the polio virus exist, but not all forms of the virus result in paralysis.
Symptoms
Mayo Clinic states contracting the polio virus can be fatal; although, it is possible to be infected with the polio virus and never experience any adverse effects. Symptoms of the polio virus strain that doesn't cause paralysis are elevated temperature; sore throat; headache; vomiting; back, neck and extremity pain; muscle spasms; and meningitis. The paralytic polio virus can cause absence of reflexes, severe muscle aches and spasms, and loss of control of arms and legs.
Cause
The Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) website states that the virus is introduced into the body by way of the mouth. Contaminated hands, eating utensils or other inanimate objects are common ways of spreading the disease. According to Mayo Clinic, the polio virus lives in the intestinal tract and is passed through human feces. The virus is easily transmitted seven to 10 days prior to and after symptoms develop. The virus can live in feces for several weeks.
Diagnosis
Mayo Clinic states health care providers can often identify patients infected with the polio virus by their complaints of stiffness in the neck and back and delayed reflexes. Cultures of the throat, stool and spinal fluid are performed to confirm a polio virus infection.
Complications
According to DHPE, paralysis of the legs is the most common complication of the polio virus, but the muscles that control breathing and swallowing can also be affected. If the respiratory muscles are infected with the polio virus, death can occur. The paralysis can be temporary or permanent, according to Mayo Clinic. Children surviving polio may be left with severe deformities.
Treatment
According to Mayo Clinic, no cure for polio exists. The goal of health care providers is to maintain comfort and prevent further complications. Interventions may include bed rest, antibiotic medications if additional infections are present, pain relievers, assistance with breathing (ventilator), exercises to prevent deformity and muscle loss, and a healthy diet.
Prevention
According to Mayo Clinic, the last reported case of naturally acquired polio in the United States was in 1979. Cleanliness is helpful in decreasing the spread of the polio virus, but the best prevention is through vaccination. The inactivated vaccine, which doesn't contain the live polio virus, is 99 percent effective after three injections. Preventive measures such as a booster shot should still be taken if traveling to countries where polio continues to infect its residents.
