When it comes to health, you are likely to have never considered the effects of poliomyelitis (polio for short) as the disease has largely been eradicated in the western world. Unfortunately, the disease has proliferated in other countries, and a recent epidemic has been seen in India. This has meant that the disease has come to the attention of the World Health Organisation again.
The impact of the virus on children can be very serious, and so the WHO is now charged with the job of making sure that travellers stay as healthy as they possibly can.
Polio comes from a virus, and is very infectious indeed, usually passed from person to person through inhalation. Symptoms begin in a similar way to the flu virus, such as with vomiting, fever, headaches and extreme tiredness. In addition to these fluey type symptoms, many people with polio exhibit some kind of respiratory distress. Polio can leave the sufferer with all kinds of debilitating after effects, such as lower leg paralysis. It can even lead to death in around ten percent of all cases.
Polio generally affects children under the age of five, and can be a very dangerous and debilitating disease. For this reason, if you are planning to travel to a country such as India with your child, you must ensure that all of their vaccinations are up to date, in line with what is recommended by the immunisation programs in the United States and anything else that your GP recommends.
Polio is also more prevalent at certain times of the year, in particular times when the temperatures are volatile, such as in the summer or autumn. There is no cure available for polio, so taking the right preventative measures is extremely important, especially for the very young and those who have underlying health conditions.