Polio

This untreatable virus gives some people flu-like symptoms and nausea and 1 in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis.

Key Fact

The world-wide vaccination campaign has led to a 99% reduction in polio cases.¹

How do people catch these disease?
- The polio virus spreads from person to person.^1,2
- You can get it by eating food or drinking water contaminated by faeces of someone who has the virus, or from coughs and sneezes.²
Which countries are affected?

Most countries are now free of polio. The risk of polio is greatest in Asia and Africa.^2,3
What are the symptoms?

Fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness of the neck and pain in the limbs.^1,3
How serious is the disease?

Polio can be fatal. Severe polio causes paralysis of the legs and arms, and sometimes of the muscles used to breathe.^1,3
Can I reduce the chances of catching the disease?
You can take the following precautions to help reduce your risk of infection:
- Visit your nearest convenient specialist travel health clinic for a risk assessment before your trip⁴

References

World Health Organization. Factsheet. Poliomyelitis. March 2018. Available online: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs114/en/
(Last accessed May 2018)
Zentrum für Reisemedizin. Poliomyelitis (Kinderlähmung). Available online: http://www.reisemed.at/krankheiten/poliomyelitis-kinderlaehmung (Last accessed May 2018)
Gesundheit. GV.AT. Polio. Available online: https://www.gesundheit.gv.at/lexikon/p/lexikon-poliomyelitis1 (Last accessed May 2018)

1805-AT-WEB-006
18-May-2018