Polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is a highly contagious disease. It dates all the way back to the 1700s. Almost 300 years later, polio is 99% globally eradicated. Polio wreaked havoc throughout the world during the 1900s. It can cause total muscle paralysis and even death. Polio can attack at any age, but those under age 5 are most vulnerable to the disease.
Michael Underwood, a British physician, wrote the first clinical description of polio in 1789. There is evidence dating back to the Ancient Egyptian times of polio. The first documented polio epidemic in the United States occurred in 1894. There were a reported 18 deaths and 132 cases of permanent paralysis. In 1905, Ivar Wickham noticed two very important things about the disease: that polio is contagious, and that polio can be present in people who do not show any symptoms. Polio was …show more content…
This type of polio can be especially dangerous, because the infected person can transmit the virus to hundreds or even thousands of people before the virus strikes and causes paralysis. Because of this, the WHO (World Health Organization) considers just one case of paralysis to be an epidemic, especially in countries where cases of polio are rare. In the 4-8% of cases that show symptoms, called symptomatic polio, there are three subtypes. Type 1, also known as abortive polio, shows symptoms such as a sore throat, headache, fever, and vomiting. Type 2, known as nonparalytic polio, usually shows neurological symptoms, such as sensitivity to light and back and neck stiffness. People known to be infected with type 1 and 2 are usually able to make a full recovery. Type 3, known as paralytic polio, is the most severe form of the virus. It can cause irreversible muscle paralysis in as little as a few hours and even death. Many factors are known to contribute to the increased chance to develop paralysis by polio, such as immune deficiency and
Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is a highly contagious disease. It dates all the way back to the 1700s. Almost 300 years later, polio is 99% globally eradicated. Polio wreaked havoc throughout the world during the 1900s. It can cause total muscle paralysis and even death. Polio can attack at any age, but those under age 5 are most vulnerable to the disease.
Michael Underwood, a British physician, wrote the first clinical description of polio in 1789. There is evidence dating back to the Ancient Egyptian times of polio. The first documented polio epidemic in the United States occurred in 1894. There were a reported 18 deaths and 132 cases of permanent paralysis. In 1905, Ivar Wickham noticed two very important things about the disease: that polio is contagious, and that polio can be present in people who do not show any symptoms. Polio was …show more content…
This type of polio can be especially dangerous, because the infected person can transmit the virus to hundreds or even thousands of people before the virus strikes and causes paralysis. Because of this, the WHO (World Health Organization) considers just one case of paralysis to be an epidemic, especially in countries where cases of polio are rare. In the 4-8% of cases that show symptoms, called symptomatic polio, there are three subtypes. Type 1, also known as abortive polio, shows symptoms such as a sore throat, headache, fever, and vomiting. Type 2, known as nonparalytic polio, usually shows neurological symptoms, such as sensitivity to light and back and neck stiffness. People known to be infected with type 1 and 2 are usually able to make a full recovery. Type 3, known as paralytic polio, is the most severe form of the virus. It can cause irreversible muscle paralysis in as little as a few hours and even death. Many factors are known to contribute to the increased chance to develop paralysis by polio, such as immune deficiency and