Polio
Polio is a serious infection that's now very rare because of the vaccination programme. It's only found in a few countries and the chance of getting it in the UK is extremely low.
Polio is a serious infection caused by the poliovirus. It can infect the spinal cord, causing inability to move parts of the body (paralysis) and in some cases can become life threatening.
Most people who are infected with poliovirus won’t have any obvious symptoms, but could still pass on the infection to others without knowing.
Some people will develop flu-like symptoms such as:
high temperature (fever)
sore throat
headache
tiredness
tummy pain
feeling and being sick (nausea)
In a small number of people, the virus may attack the nerves of the spine and brain, causing more serious symptoms such as:
numbness or ‘pins and needles’ in the limbs
inflammation of the brain (meningitis)
inability to move parts of the body (paralysis)
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Who is at risk of polio?
Polio is extremely rare in UK travellers with the last imported case occurring in 1993. Those at increased risk include travellers visiting friends and relatives, those in direct contact with an infected person, long-stay travellers, and those visiting areas of poor sanitation.
Polio mainly affects children. The virus can be prevented by vaccination, meaning that if every child in the world is vaccinated against polio, the virus could be completely eliminated.
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How is polio spread?
The virus is transmitted through food or water contaminated by infected human faeces or by direct contact with an infectious person.
You can become infected if you:
have poo on your hands and you touch your mouth
put objects in your mouth that are contaminated with the infected poo
Food and water can sometimes become contaminated with the poo from an infected person in areas where sanitation and personal hygiene are poor.
Where is polio a risk?
Most cases of cholera are confined to regions of the world with poor sanitation and water hygiene, such as parts of: Africa Asia South America
