What is it about ?
Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a highly contagious infection caused by the poliovirus; it can cause disabilities. Contamination can occur when an infected person coughs or sneezes, through direct contact with them, or through food or water contaminated with stool.
A syndrome is a collection of symptoms. Post-polio syndrome is characterized by the gradual or sudden onset of new symptoms, years after recovery from a first attack of polio. This syndrome occurs in 6 to 9 in 10 infected people. The cause is not known.
What is their frequency?
Since the introduction of compulsory polio vaccination at the end of the 1960s, polio has hardly been present in Belgium. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), polio has disappeared from many countries. Sometimes small epidemics occur in populations who refuse vaccination for religious reasons.
How to recognize them?
9 out of 10 times, infection with the polio virus does not cause any symptoms. Recovery is then complete. 1 in 10 times the infection presents with the following signs: flu-like symptoms (flu-like syndrome) with fever, general malaise, sore throat, muscle pain, nausea and diarrhea.
After a few days, 1 to 2 in 100 people develop motor nerve damage. These are the nerves responsible for the functioning of the muscles. The virus hits the nerves at random. This damage to the nerves therefore causes asymmetric paralysis. This means that it does not affect both sides of the body the same way. The person may have one paralyzed arm, or one leg.
As these paralyzed muscles malfunction, their development also stops, causing muscle shortening and bone deformation. This is mainly the case in growing children. Damage to the respiratory muscles can cause breathing problems.
In rare cases, the virus can also infect the brain and spinal cord. This can cause difficulty in swallowing and speaking and paralysis of the muscles of the eyes. The sensory nerves are never affected, so there are no sensory disturbances. Recovery begins a few weeks after the first symptoms. It is complete 1 time out of 2, without leaving any after-effects.
Post-polio syndrome is a combination of symptoms that can occur in people who have had polio in the past. Sometimes 15 years pass between polio and post-polio syndrome. The main symptoms are usually muscle weakness and muscle pain, joint pain and fatigue. These symptoms usually develop gradually, but sometimes quite quickly following another illness or operation. These symptoms do not go away on their own.
What can you do ?
Vaccination against polio is compulsory in Belgium. After this vaccination, the parents receive a certificate. They must return it to the municipality in which they live before their child is 18 months old. Not having your child vaccinated is punishable.
The more people are vaccinated, the less risk there is of infection or transmission. If you refuse the vaccination, your child may be infected, and you may become a source of infection for others. If you are traveling to an area where polio is still present, a booster dose before departure is recommended.
There is no cure for the disease. In the event of symptoms of paralysis, the focus is therefore entirely on rehabilitation. It is better to start with medical gymnastics with a physiotherapist. It is very important to involve the family in this program. The physiotherapist will teach you exercise programs that you can do yourself at home. At regular intervals, he will introduce a series of exercise sessions and make variations in the program. This helps prevent muscles from shortening and deforming and maintains muscle function as much as possible.
Sometimes home adaptations are needed, such as installing handrails along walls or installing adjustable toilets.
How is the diagnosis made?
If poliovirus infection is suspected, the diagnosis is confirmed by examining stool and / or fluid in the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid), a throat smear and blood test.
What can the doctor do?
Polio is a notifiable disease. This means that the doctor must report any confirmed case of poliovirus infection to the authorities.
There is no effective drug against poliovirus. The treatment is therefore purely supportive treatment. The doctor will send you to the physiotherapist for rehabilitation. If necessary, it is possible to consider devices (orthopedic devices) in consultation with the specialist.
Want to know more?
- For the vaccine, I hesitate … Is it serious doctor? – Health question
- Poliomyelitis – Vaccination-Info.be
- The vaccine explained to children – Plaster
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