Poliomyelitis, paralytic is a severe infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, an enterovirus. It primarily affects young children and can lead to permanent muscle paralysis. While once a global scourge, it is now rare in most parts of the world due to widespread vaccination.
Transmission methods vary. Please consult CDC or WHO resources for specific information.
Contagious Period: Varies by disease
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Jon LaPook, M.D. is the award-winning chief medical correspondent for CBS News. Since joining CBS News in 2006, LaPook has delivered more than 1,200 reports on a wide variety of breaking news and trending stories in the health and medical fields, as well as feature stories on music, lifestyle and profiles of entertainment stars.
When 13-year-old music prodigy Itzhak Perlman performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1958, viewers could see his extraordinary talent. What they couldn't see were the br
In February 2026, Zambia declared a public health outbreak after circulating poliovirus was detected in wastewater samples in Lusaka, although no clinical cases of paralysis have been reported. In response, the government has launched emergency surveillance and vaccination campaigns for children under five to prevent further community transmission.
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PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Feb, 2026) The circulation of poliovirus in the country has declined significantly, as majority of environmental samples collected from 87 districts in January 2026 tested negative, signalling measurable progress in ongoing efforts to eradicate the crippling disease and interrupt virus transmission nationwide.
Environmental surveillance, which involves testing sewage for poliovirus, is considered a sensitive early warning system and often detects
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Somalia has experienced persistent circulation of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). Ongoing insecurity and the large number of inaccessible, zero-dose children in south-central Somalia continue to hinder vaccination campaigns and allow poliovirus circulation to persist.
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Afghanistan remains one of only two countries, along with Pakistan, where wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) is endemic. Political instability and humanitarian crises continue to undermine vaccination efforts, jeopardizing global eradication goals.
Source: BEACON - View Full Report
BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) - In a classroom in southern Malawi, children sit in rows on the floor as a health worker moves among them administering an oral vaccine that protects against polio.
The new vaccination campaign that began on Wednesday is another reminder that the world still hasn´t managed to eradicate the ancient disease, which primarily affects children and can cause paralysis. despite a concerted effort for more than 35 years by the World Health Organization and its partners.
Health o
I've always been very open about being a big fan of vaccines. Not because of politics or blind faith, but because the evidence - accumulated over decades - overwhelmingly shows their benefits.
Vaccines are among the most effective medical interventions ever devised for reducing risks of infection.
Smallpox was eradicated entirely - and polio has been driven to the brink of extinction - through vaccination. And cases of cervical cancer, which is caused by a viral infection (human papillomavirus,
"Oral polio vaccines (OPVs) are safe, effective, affordable, and easy to deliver. Use of OPV through routine immunisation and mass vaccination campaigns has eliminated poliovirus transmission and prevented paralysis in children across the world, with 99.9 per cent of the world polio-free," Bandyopadhyay told PTI from Seattle, USA.
He said variant strains primarily emerge in areas with weak immunisation coverage.
"In areas with persistently poor immunisation coverage, variant strains can emerge,
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View WHO Resources →Disease information on Virus Watcher is reviewed by our Chief Epidemiologist, a former CDC lead analyst for FluSight forecasting. Outbreak data is aggregated from verified sources including BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-03-05
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