Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system, and can cause crippling paralysis, sometimes in a matter of hours. Polio generally affects children under the age of three, but adults can contract it as well.
The virus enters the body through the mouth and multiplies in the intestine. Initial symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and pain in the limbs. A lifelong paralysis can set in quickly. Among those paralyzed, 5%-10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized. Many of those infected with the virus will show no symptoms at all but can pass the virus on to others.
Polio is incurable but it can easily be prevented through immunization. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life. Through quality vaccination and disease-reporting (surveillance) systems, the Western Pacific Region has been polio-free since 19 March 1997 when the Region’s last case caused by an indigenous (locally circulating) poliovirus was reported in Cambodia. Polio continues to occur in other parts of the world.
[ more on Poliomyelitis ]
Polio Eradication: laboratory containment phase 1
The WHO Western Pacific Region not only has stayed free of wild poliovirus in its populations since certification in October 2000, but also has identified all wild poliovirus infectious and potentially infectious materials stored in biomedical laboratories. This is the important other half of polio eradication. All 37 countries and areas in the Region have completed surveys of relevant biomedical laboratories and established national inventories (see details here: WER No. 37, 2009, 84 and MMWR 2009 / 58(35);975-978)
following the requirements laid out for phase 1 wild poliovirus laboratory containment in the WHO Global Action Plan, second edition (GAP II).
[ more on Laboratory containment ]Last update: September 2009
Fact sheets
News and press releases
8 December 2008
Keeping the Lao People's Democratic Republic polio-free
[full text]
11 June 2008
WHO to review its work in the Western Pacific Region
[full text]
05 December 2005
WHO warns of the return of the disease in polio-free countries
[full text]
[more news]
Relevant publications and documents
Poliomyelitis Surveillance Weekly Bulletin
Poliomyelitis surveillance is worldwide based on reporting and investigating cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), rather than just “suspected poliomyelitis”, serving two specific purposes. First, AFP surveillance substantially increases the sensitivity of the surveillance system and allows it to detect the entire spectrum of paralytic poliomyelitis, both classical and atypical cases, and thus wild poliovirus transmission in a population should it occur. Secondly, AFP surveillance provides objective data with which to monitor the quality of surveillance in an individual country or large population group.
59th World Health Assembly - Eradication of Poliomyelitis - Resolution
Polio Eradication in the Western Pacific Region
This book tells the story of how the polio virus was hunted down, cornered in smaller and smaller areas, and then eventually eliminated by an organized determined effort. It was systematically, with good planning, strong efforts in national capitals and in millions of villages and households, supported by a qualition of people and organizations with constant evaluation and review of activities to improve quality and effectiveness. Polio eradication shows what can be accomplished in the area of health when all countries work together in a common effort towards a common goal. This book focuses on practical aspects of getting people to work together, polio supplementary immunization campaigns surveillance systems, surveillance systems, routine immunization. strategic requirements and post certification strategy.
Maintaining the Polio-free Status of the WHO Western Pacific Region - Situation Summary
Regional Commission for the Certification (RCC) of Polio Eradication in the Western Pacific Region (13th Meeting - 11-12 December 2007) - Meeting Report
[more publications and documents]
Upcoming meetings and events
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