Poliomyelitis

Excerpt

Poliomyelitis, or polio, is an infectious disease transmitted by fecal-oral contamination with lymphatic replication. Before global health efforts, polio caused widespread morbidity and mortality in children during multiple epidemics between 1900 and 1950. Due to worldwide vaccination efforts in the 1980s, polio has been almost completely eradicated. This disease primarily impacts developing countries with poor sanitation. Healthcare providers in endemic regions or those caring for patients with recent travel to endemic regions should have a high suspicion of polio in patients with viral prodrome symptoms and new-onset paralysis. Consider early serologic testing because this disease can cause static flaccid paralysis in a minority of those infected if undetected. Postpolio syndrome (PPS) is a progressive syndrome of muscular weakness that may occur later in life. In light of the recent increase in poliolike illnesses in the US, it is important to differentiate between poliomyelitis and other viruses such as enterovirus-D68.