Poliomyelitis (polio)
What is Polio?
Polio (Poliomyelitis) is a contagious and infectious disease caused by Polio virus, that attacks the cells of the nervous system and in severe cases can cause paralysis, breathing problems or even death. The virus attacks individual nerve cells, replicating itself within them and spreads to other cells and other parts of the body. There are three types of polio:
Polio (Poliomyelitis) is a contagious and infectious disease caused by Polio virus, that attacks the cells of the nervous system and in severe cases can cause paralysis, breathing problems or even death. The virus attacks individual nerve cells, replicating itself within them and spreads to other cells and other parts of the body. There are three types of polio:
- Sub-clinical: the virus doesn't attack the central nervous system (brain or spinal cord) and most cases will not experience any symptoms. Around 95% of polio cases are sub-clinical.
- Non-paralytic: affects the central nervous system but does not paralyse the person - shows no symptoms.
- Paralytic: the rarest and most fatal form of polio producing partial or even full paralysis on the patient. There are three types of paralytic polio: - Spinal polio (affects the spine) - Bulbar polio (affects the brainstem) - Bulbospinal polio (affects both the brainstem and spine)
What are the symptoms of Polio?
Approximately, 95% of Polio cases have no symptoms, meaning people don't even know when they have contracted the disease. When people have symptoms of polio, these cases are called symptomatic, while people without symptoms are called asymptomatic. With the 4% - 8% who are symptomatic, these symptoms are typically minor like:
However, 1 in 200 cases of polio results in irreversible paralysis, usually affecting the legs. Among these cases, in 5% to 10% of cases, breathing muscles become immobilised, causing serious breathing difficulties, and possibly death.
Approximately, 95% of Polio cases have no symptoms, meaning people don't even know when they have contracted the disease. When people have symptoms of polio, these cases are called symptomatic, while people without symptoms are called asymptomatic. With the 4% - 8% who are symptomatic, these symptoms are typically minor like:
- fever
- sore throat
- fatigue
- nausea
- headache
- flu-like symptoms - only last for 2-5 days then disappear on their own
- stiffness in the neck and back
- pain in the limbs
However, 1 in 200 cases of polio results in irreversible paralysis, usually affecting the legs. Among these cases, in 5% to 10% of cases, breathing muscles become immobilised, causing serious breathing difficulties, and possibly death.
How are the body parts affected by Polio?
Polio attacks the nervous system, and infects the spinal cord, brain and surrounding tissue. The affects on your body vary, depending on which area of the spinal cord and brain it attacks. A life-threatening paralysis is the worst case scenario for someone with Polio. The most severe affects of polio are:
Polio attacks the nervous system, and infects the spinal cord, brain and surrounding tissue. The affects on your body vary, depending on which area of the spinal cord and brain it attacks. A life-threatening paralysis is the worst case scenario for someone with Polio. The most severe affects of polio are:
- limited muscle control
- spasms
- life-threatening breathing difficulties
- paralysis
How does our body's immune and endocrine system responds to Polio?
The body's immune and endocrine system produces anti-bodies and T-cells (or T lymphocytes) which can make the body immune or resistant to a serious case of polio. T-cells are cytotoxic and can destroy virally infected cells like polio. There are three types of antibodies that protect against polio and they act in two different ways:
IgA antibodies - are able to block virus replications present in the tonsils and stomach.
IgG and IgM antibodies - prevent the spread of the virus to motor neurons of the central nervous system.
The antibodies and T-cells are produced in response to the Virus attacking the body. They stop the virus replicating and spreading even more throughout the body.
The body's immune and endocrine system produces anti-bodies and T-cells (or T lymphocytes) which can make the body immune or resistant to a serious case of polio. T-cells are cytotoxic and can destroy virally infected cells like polio. There are three types of antibodies that protect against polio and they act in two different ways:
IgA antibodies - are able to block virus replications present in the tonsils and stomach.
IgG and IgM antibodies - prevent the spread of the virus to motor neurons of the central nervous system.
The antibodies and T-cells are produced in response to the Virus attacking the body. They stop the virus replicating and spreading even more throughout the body.