Diagnostics
The viruses can be detected in stool, saliva or cerebrospinal fluid. The corresponding antibodies are also found in serum. There is no possibility of drug therapy.
For this reason, intensive care and bed rest as well as physiotherapy are the main focus. Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to alleviate the symptoms. If there is a risk of a threatening form of polio, patients should be admitted to hospital and intensively monitored.
How is polio transmitted?
The poliovirus is excreted during the disease. It is mainly found in the stool and bronchial secretions. The infection is therefore mostly faecal-oral (at door handles of toilets) or via droplet infection.
It is therefore important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap after each visit to the toilet. This also prevents infection with other pathogens. Droplet infection is usually caused by sneezing of infected persons, use of the same dishes or glassware and contact with saliva of an infected person.
How high is the risk of infection?
Due to the high vaccination rate, the poliovirus is almost non-existent in Germany. It has been eradicated. Therefore the infection rate in Germany is very low.
For an unvaccinated person, the infection rate is very high in countries where the poliovirus is still found. These countries are mainly Afghanistan and Pakistan. The infection spreads quickly and can lead to epidemics.
Poor hygienic conditions make transmission even more likely. The pathogen can also be found in water if it has been contaminated by faeces. The transmission can lead to infection both when washing and when drinking the contaminated water. Children of elementary school age are particularly often affected.
Consequences of polio
In most cases, poliomyelitis runs its course with flu-like symptoms and heals without consequences. In about 1-2% of cases, however, the nervous system may be involved. The first symptom is usually paralysis of the lower extremity (legs).
Paralysis of other parts of the body may also occur in the course of the disease. In the worst case, the brain stem is affected by the disease. The brain stem contains the respiratory center and the circulatory regulation center.
The involvement of the brain stem leads to respiratory and circulatory regulation disorders, which leads to death in the case of the disease. Another consequence of poliomyelitis is the post-poliomyelitis syndrome (PPS). It causes pain and relaxation of muscles in different parts of the body. This consequence occurs only after 10 to 30 years after infection. The disease is very serious and can end in a wheelchair, or even lethally.
