Polio is a disease caused by poliovirus. There are a variety of symptoms that people can face, ranging from those who show no symptoms to those who get permanently paralyzed. Initial symptoms present as a flu-like illness. A week after this, symptoms can become more severe, including paresthesia (tingling, pins-and-needles feeling in extremities), photophobia (sensitivity to light), muscle spasms, and paralysis. Although many can be asymptomatic, they are still carriers and can spread the disease to others. The virus is a type of enterovirus, meaning that it infects the throat and intestines, thus transmittable via fecal matter, saliva, and respiratory secretions. As a result of polio, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of brain lining and spinal cord) are possible. There is also a chance to get post-polio syndrome years after the initial infection. This syndrome causes gradual muscle weakness. There is no cure for poliovirus, making it very important to get vaccinated. Typically, one is vaccinated in childhood.
There were several widespread outbreaks of polio in the 1900s, until the 1950s when the vaccine was created. Childhood vaccination is what led to polio’s eradication in most parts of the world. Currently, vaccination rates are declining, which presents an issue for all. If people stop getting vaccinated, polio can start spreading again, and potentially mutate. The concern is if the vaccine will prove as effective with less people vaccinated and if this current outbreak will be harder to contain.