10 Polio Facts You Did Not Know

Introduction

Polio disease is a viral disease that can effect a persons body, leading to partial and sometimes, full body paralysis. It is caused by the polio virus and is spread through person to person contact, contact with infected mucus and contact with infected feces. Polio is no longer a big concern in today's medical world because there is an immunization against polio, however, back in the day it was a common problem.  There are several polio facts to consider.

Step 1

• One of the polio facts is that there are actually three different types of polio. There is non-paralytic, spinal paralytic and bulbar. Bulbar polio is the most severe, which can lead to the person spending his or her life in an iron lung.
• Another one of the unknown polio facts is that polio usually does not show symptoms. At times, there can be small symptoms like fever, headache, fatigue, abdominal pain and diarrhea, but in most cases, it just creeps up on a person and shows no symptoms.

Step 2

• Another one of the unknown polio facts is that polio can actually kill a person infected with it. About 5% to 10% of people with the polio virus pass away from it, because the virus effects their breathing muscles and lungs.
• Another one of the polio facts is that it actually effects children much more than adults. More than 50% of people with polio were diagnosed with polio before the age of 5.

Step 3

• Another one of the polio facts is that the polio virus is only an epidemic in four countries as of 2011. The only countries suffering from this epidemic are Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.
• Another one of the polio facts is that the most recent polio outbreak was in 2010, in Tajikistan. It left approximately 239 children paralyzed.

Step 4

 

• Another one of the interesting polio facts is that there is no current cure for polio. However, there is immunization against it, so it is suggested that everyone get the vaccine.
• Polio cases have decreased by over 99% since 1988, with only 1,604 reported cases in 2009.

Step 5

 

• Another one of the interesting polio facts is that the cost of the polio vaccination is only 0.11 cents in the United States, making it extremely affordable.
• If health professionals and medical professionals get researching polio, it will become the second disease ever to be eradicated by humankind. Small pox was the very first to be eradicated.

Suggestions

Another one of the polio tips to take into consideration is to make sure your children are provided with one of the two polio vaccinations out. After just three doses of the vaccination, people are 99 percent immune to the disease.

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