Infantile paralysis-Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis or Polio is an infectious viral
disease caused by poliovirus, which is an RNA
virus of the family Picornaviridae, genus
Enterovirus. Infantile paralysis was first recognized
by the German orthopedist Jacob Heine in 1840,
and a little later Karl Landsteiner discovered the
cause of the disease, namely the poliovirus itself.
This genus of viruses in natural conditions is pathogenic only for humans, ie. infects
and causes disease only in humans, i.e. humans are the only natural hosts.
According to the antigenic structure, there are 3 types of polioviruses, which are
designated as Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. Type 1 causes paralysis and epidemics,
Type 2 usually causes inapparent (non-symptomatic) infections, and Type 3 causes
mild cases of poliomyelitis, and sometimes epidemics.
Polioviruses enter the human body through the digestive tract and usually do not cause
any visible changes, that is, most people (80-90% of those infected) do not get sick and
are not aware that they are infected with polio.
The reservoir of polioviruses is found in the person who suffers from any form of
poliomyelitis and is a virus carrier. The virus leaves the infected organism with the
nasopharyngeal secretion in the first days of the disease, and later with the feces.
Polioviruses are transmitted rarely through direct contact and through droplets from
nasopharyngeal secretions. Most often they are transmitted through food items and
drinking water, as well as through various objects of general use that are contaminated
with polioviruses. In a certain number of cases, they cause a febrile illness with a
headache - that it is called abortive poliomyelitis. In a small number of cases, 5-7 days
after those symptoms, the temperature will appear again and with it severe headaches
and signs of meningitis occur. This form of poliomyelitis is called non-paralytic
poliomyelitis. In non-paralytic forms of infection, the prognosis is good.
