What Do You Need To Know About Polio Vaccine?

The polio vaccine is a clear example of how a continuous immunization schedule produces results over time. Thanks to vaccination, this serious disease has almost completely disappeared from the world.

This simple, inexpensive, and widespread method has proven its effectiveness and made it possible to reduce the spread of the virus in the population – both among adults and children.

What exactly does it consist of? How do doctors give the vaccine?

Keep reading.

What is polio?

Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by poliovirus, of which three different types are known. One of them has already disappeared completely and no new outbreaks have been reported. The other two are still alive, but their prevalence is low due to global vaccines.

Polio is transmitted when a person comes into contact with another infected person or when a virus uses food to help pass on to a person and cause an infection. This is done through contamination of beverages and food.

Most infected people are asymptomatic; this means that they do not show any signs of disease. In a small proportion of people with visible symptoms, the disease has the potential to lead to a serious complication such as paralysis.

Paralysis: the most severe form of polio

Paralysis is the most serious form of polio. The person then suffers from muscle weakness that extends to all parts of the body, including the chest. It compromises respiratory dynamics, leading to death from suffocation.

Two different polio vaccines

Researchers have succeeded in developing two different forms of polio vaccine. They are known to the people who created them as  Sabin  and  Salk. The former is administered orally and the latter intravenously.

Sabin vaccine

The Sabin vaccine is a viral immunization that reduces the survival of viruses. To enable this, laboratories create genetic mutations in viral particles to make them less virulent. In this way, giving the vaccine can create symptoms, but they are very mild. It does not change the immunity given by the vaccine.

Sabin is characterized by its  ability to replicate in the digestive system. This provides “herd immunity protection” as vaccinated people secrete particles through the feces, thus helping to achieve immunity in other people in the same household.

Salk vaccine

As already mentioned, the Salk vaccine is administered intravenously. Just like any other vaccine, it bursts a muscle and penetrates it, leaving the vaccine inside. In this case, the survival of the viruses is not impaired; they are passive.

The procedure is different and the result varies slightly compared to Sabin. The entire intestinal process is not performed, so this immunization is effective in preventing a severe form of the virus. However, it does not have herd immunity protection  and does not prevent individuals from getting the virus into the digestive system.

Who benefits from the polio vaccine?

Vaccination against polio varies from country to country. States are developing guidelines for managing immunization according to local epidemiology and current legislation.

In general, however, states agree on the following:

• Children should receive repeated doses according to the vaccine schedule to achieve immunity. They are at the highest risk among the population and thus the goal is to vaccinate them all in one way or another.
• Children usually receive five doses. The first is given at two months of age, the second at four months, and the last three doses are given at six months of age and at 1.5 and 6 years of age. Dates may vary slightly, but the vaccine should never be given before these age points.
• In adults, vaccination is less consensual. If an adult has not received similar vaccines as a child, he or she will receive the vaccine on a similar schedule as the children.
• If you are traveling to a country where polio is prevalent or if you work with polio patients, it is advisable to take the polio vaccine.

Possible side effects of the polio vaccine

In general, the  polio vaccine causes few side effects regardless of the form of the polio vaccine. Most side effects occur in the area where the injection was given and cause redness as well as inflammation.

Sabin can cause  mild digestive symptoms as well as diarrhea, nausea  and even fever (below 37.5 degrees). However, this will never last longer than 48 hours.

Some reports have shown evidence of more serious reactions, of which the allergic reaction is the most worrying. Fortunately, however, there are not many such cases and it is estimated that  this type of side effect affects one in a million people.

An effective vaccine is available worldwide

The polio vaccine is a very effective method to prevent this disease. There are not many diseases in the world that could be avoided just as easily by following immunization guidelines.

For this reason, it  is important that all countries and individuals make more effort to adhere to this vaccine program. We are very close to the complete eradication of polio from the planet and we would lose the result of decades of work if we did not complete this task to the end.

If you have young children, ask your health center how the vaccine will be given. If you are an adult, check that you are up to date with the vaccine. For more information, contact the hospital departments that specialize in immunization.