Polio, also known as poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. It primarily affects the nervous system, especially the nerves in the spinal cord and brainstem, and can lead to paralysis or even death in severe cases

Key Facts about Polio:

• Cause: Polio is caused by the poliovirus, which spreads mainly through the fecal-oral route (contaminated food or water) or oral-oral transmission

• Symptoms: Most infected people (about 75-90%) show no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, headache, and fatigue. In some cases, the virus invades the nervous system, causing muscle weakness and paralysis, often in the legs

• Paralysis: Paralysis can occur rapidly and is often permanent. About 5-10% of those paralyzed may die if respiratory muscles are affected

• Who is affected: Polio mainly affects children under 5 years old but can infect people of any age

• No cure: There is no cure for polio; treatment focuses on symptom relief and supportive care such as physical therapy

• Prevention: Polio can be prevented effectively through vaccination, which has dramatically reduced global cases since the 1950s. Vaccines include the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and the oral polio vaccine (OPV)

• Current status: Wild poliovirus remains endemic only in a few countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan. Global vaccination efforts have reduced cases by over 99% since 1988

In summary, polio is a viral disease that can cause paralysis and death but is largely preventable through vaccination. Continued immunization efforts are critical to completely eradicating the disease worldwide