Ehe United Kingdom issued a health alert after the detection of the polio virus, a disease that had been eradicated from the country for decades. According to a press release from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the pathogen was identified in wastewater samples obtained during routine screening in north and east London.
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By decreeing the status of “national incident”, the agency warns the public about the need to update the vaccination schedule.
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In 1956, the United Kingdom introduced the polio vaccine into the national immunization program and declared the disease eradicated in 2003. The last case of “wild” (or wild) polio was diagnosed in 1984.
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“We have started an investigation to protect the population, so we urge citizens to confirm that their polio vaccines are up to date. This especially applies to parents of young children who may have missed an opportunity to immunize them,” the statement said.
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So far, health authorities have received no reports of confirmed cases. Even though the risk to the general public is considered low, it is important to emphasize that the virus can be spread through contaminated food and water, and also through poor hand hygiene.
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A COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION?
The UKHSA added that the investigation aims to determine whether the reappearance of the virus is the result of community transmission.
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For now, scientists have determined that it is a type 2 vaccine poliovirus; that is, a virus derived from vaccines.
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This strain causes serious side effects including paralysis. However, vaccination can reduce the risk.
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The researchers believe that the pathogen may have spread in the study areas due to “closely related individuals” who have begun to shed the virus in their feces.
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“Vaccine-derived poliovirus is very rare, and the risk to the general public is extremely low,” adds the press release from UKHSA Consultant Epidemiologist Dr Vanessa Saliba. “However, the vaccine poliovirus has the ability to spread, especially in communities where immunization is limited.”
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“On rare occasions, the virus can cause paralysis in individuals who have not completed the vaccination schedule. Therefore, if you or your children are not up to date with their polio vaccinations, it is important to see your doctor to update the schedule.
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“Most of the British population is protected during childhood. But there is some risk for individuals living in communities with poor vaccination coverage.”
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WHAT IS POLIOMYELITIS?
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Although polio is a viral disease that has existed since ancient times, the pathogen was officially identified in 1908.
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Although very rare, poliovirus is extremely contagious and is usually spread through personal contact. Once it enters the body, the pathogen establishes itself in the intestines and throats of infected people.
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Shedding begins when a carrier does not wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet and deposits the virus in drinking water or food. Although the pathogen can also be spread in respiratory droplets expelled by a person coughing or sneezing, this transmission mechanism is highly unlikely.
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According to the World Health Organisation, the risk of polio transmission in the UK is very low, thanks to the UK’s very high vaccination rate.
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Despite this, the UKHSA notes that London’s vaccination rate has dropped significantly in recent years.
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WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
In most cases, the individual does not even realize that the virus has entered his body, because the immune system fights the pathogen without causing symptoms.
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Even so, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States (CDC) clarify that one in four people may experience a symptom picture that resembles a cold, and that can include sore throat, fever, fatigue, general malaise, headache and abdominal pain.
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In rare cases, infected people can develop severe symptoms ranging from paresthesia (tingling or pricking sensation in the legs) to meningitis and paralysis. Very occasionally, the symptom picture may include weakness in the arms, legs, or both.
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Paralysis is the most dangerous complication of polio, as it can be fatal.
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The most severe cases of polio can lead to what is known as “post-polio syndrome”: a disabling collection of signs and symptoms that appear decades after initial infection. N
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(Published in cooperation with Newsweek. Published in cooperation with Newsweek).
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