Polio is an infectious disease that once spread fear throughout the world, now still lurking with the threat of sudden paralysis. Although most cases affect children under the age of 5, anyone can be at risk if not protected. After the polio vaccine, how is polio still a threat in this modern, advanced era?
Read the following article to get complete information about polio, including the underlying causes, symptoms that appear, and various treatment methods that can be done to prevent and treat the disease.
Get to Know What Polio Is?
Polio, which began to be studied in the 1840s by Michael Underwood, is an infection that attacks the nervous system, especially the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord.
The disease can cause permanent paralysis, and can result in the sufferer losing the ability to move. Although the initial symptoms are similar to the flu, the effects of polio can be very serious, even life-threatening if the respiratory muscles are affected.
Causes of Polio Disease
Poliovirus is the source of poliovirus, which belongs to the enterovirus group. The spread of this virus can spread through the fecal-oral route, where fluid or feces enter the body through the mouth, nose, or directly into the bloodstream.
After entering the body, the virus begins to replicate in the digestive tract, especially in the pharynx and intestines. From there, the virus will multiply and attack the nervous system.
Symptoms of Polio Disease
Polio disease has two types, which will differentiate the symptoms experienced by sufferers. The following are the symptoms experienced by sufferers according to the variation suffered:
1. Non-Paralytic Polio
The non-paralytic type of polio is early stage polio, and does not have the risk of paralysis. The symptoms of non-paralytic polio are as follows:
- Fever
- Pain or stiffness in the neck and back
- Severe headache
- Pain when swallowing or sore throat
- Nausea and vomiting
2. Polio Paralysis
Unlike non-paralytic polio, this type of polio can cause paralysis. After 1 week of being infected with the polio virus, pay attention to the following symptoms that will begin to be felt:
- Pain and tension in the muscles
- Decreased or even loss of body reflexes
- Arms and legs feel weak
- Possible difficulty breathing
Prevention Through Vaccination
Vaccination is the most effective method to prevent polio. Both inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) have been shown to reduce the number of cases of infection worldwide.
IPV is given by injection and does not contain live virus, while OPV is given orally using live, weakened virus. Routine vaccination in the community plays an important role in building herd immunity and inhibiting the spread of poliovirus.
Polio Disease Treatment
Although polio is not a curable disease, polio sufferers can still undergo treatment to relieve symptoms and prevent complications. Check out some treatments that can be done at home:
- Take pain relievers as recommended by your doctor.
- Using a ventilator or breathing aid
- Undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation to overcome lung complications
- Use a hot compress if you feel muscle pain.
Apart from that, symptomatic treatments such as physiotherapy are also important aspects in the rehabilitation process of polio patients. This therapy is aimed at helping patients restore motor function and also improving the patient's quality of life.
Although physiotherapy can help improve motor function and quality of life, polio remains dangerous because there is no cure for the disease. As a result, polio remains a serious threat that continues to haunt society.
Polio Disease Returns to Haunt
This virus that attacks the nervous system was once an epidemic in Indonesia in the 20th century. Although advances in health have brought polio vaccines as mandatory immunizations for infants, the threat of polio remains. The return of polio cases, especially from viruses that originated from vaccines, is a reminder of the importance of vaccination to protect future generations.
Protect your health and that of your loved ones by ensuring that polio vaccinations are complete. Consult a medical professional immediately for more information on polio prevention and protection.
Article written by dr. Ramadianty, Sp. A (Pediatrician, EMC Cikarang Hospital).