Polio
Polio
It is defined as the viral disease which is cause by the virus poliomyelitis which affect the motor neurons and causes the paralysis. In US it is eliminated in year 1980 last case was reported in 1979. Today polio is eliminated from all the countries except Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Symptoms
Mostly it does not cause any disease only 1% people infected with polio show signs and symptoms which are include:
Nonparalytic polio
Paralytic polio
- Floppy limbs
- Flaccid paralysis
- Loss of reflexes
- Severe muscle weakness
- Muscle tenderness
Causes
It is transmitted through the direct contact with the infected person through contaminated water and food. Feces of infected person contaminated with virus for many weeks. There is silent carrier of polio virus are also present which does not show any sign and symptoms but can transmit the virus to the other persons.
Complications
If left untreated it may cause the muscle paralysis which is irreversible and permanent.
Diagnosis
After taking detailed medical history about signs and symptoms and conducting physical examination your doctor will recommend the lumbar puncture to check the presence of polio virus.
Treatment
There is no cure of this disease present. The focus of treatment is to control the symptoms and avoid the complications which include:
- Physical therapy to prevent the muscle deformity
- Ventilator to assist the breathing
- Pain killers