Poliomyelitis, paralytic

8 Épidémie Actives

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.

5
Pays Affectés
1,431
Cas Récents (30 j)
8
Épidémies Actives
20d ago
Dernière Mise à Jour

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Qu'est-ce que Poliomyelitis, paralytic?

Poliomyelitis has afflicted humans for millennia, with evidence found in ancient Egyptian mummies. The disease surged in epidemics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, causing widespread panic due to its paralytic effects. The development of effective vaccines in the 1950s by Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin revolutionized public health, leading to a dramatic decline in cases and near-eradication efforts globally.

SymptĂ´mes

  • Initial flu-like symptoms (may precede paralysis): Fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, neck stiffness, limb pain.
  • Muscle weakness and severe pain (often preceding paralysis).
  • *Flaccid paralysis*: Sudden onset, often asymmetrical, typically affecting the legs.
  • Loss of deep tendon reflexes in affected limbs.
  • Difficulty breathing or swallowing (in severe cases involving respiratory muscles).

Transmission

Poliomyelitis primarily spreads through the fecal-oral route, meaning the virus is shed in the feces of an infected person and then ingested by another. This can occur through contaminated food or water, or direct contact with feces from an infected person. Less commonly, it can spread via the oral-oral route (e.g., through droplets from a cough or sneeze).

Période de Contagiosité : Varies by disease

Prévention

  • *Poliovirus vaccination*: Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) or Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) are highly effective at preventing the disease.
  • Ensure full vaccination series for infants and children as per national immunization schedules.
  • Maintain good hand hygiene, especially after using the toilet and before eating.
  • Avoid contact with individuals who are sick, particularly in endemic areas.

Live Poliomyelitis, paralytic Global Case Map

5 countries with reported activity. Updated from real-time surveillance data.

No reports
Low activity
High activity

Épidémies Actives et Cas Récents

Renseignements en temps réel issus de la surveillance sanitaire mondiale et de la surveillance par IA

Sources de données : BEACON, ProMED, OMS, CDC et plus de 50 agences nationales de santé

✓ Données en direct mises à jour en temps réel depuis les sources de santé mondiales

Concerns Rise as Afghanistan Reports New Poliomyelitis Cases

Afghanistan 2026-07-23
Actif

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has issued a distressing report indicating the identification of four new cases of poliomyelitis in the provinces of Herat, Helmand, and Nangarhar. With these recent developments, the total number of reported infections for the current calendar year has risen to eleven. The monitoring section of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has released its latest periodic report confirming the detection of four new positive cases of poliomyelitis in various regions of Afghanistan. According to clinical findings from this international organization, these new cases have been recorded in the provinces of Herat in the west, Helmand in the south, and Nangarhar in the east. This negative health development has raised the total number of infants and children af...
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Landmark moment for India in cervical cancer prevention

World, World 2026-04-03
Actif

India has a long history of eradicating and eliminating serious disease burdens through well-planned and well-executed campaigns. From the eradication of smallpox in the 1950s to the more recent Pulse Polio drives, these campaigns were designed for success. That same discipline and public trust will now determine the success of HPV vaccination.

The Indian Cancer Society has long been concerned about the devastation caused by cervical cancer. The statistics on files represent real women to the So

đź“° 11 news sources reporting on this story.

đź”— Read more at Hindustan Times

Polio Detected in Perth Wastewater: Health Alert Issued

Australia 2026-05-03
Actif

Australia was declared free from polio in 2000. The last case of poliomyelitis caused by locally acquired wild poliovirus in Australia was in 1972. In April 2026, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was detected in wastewater in Perth, Western Australia, thought to be from a traveler from affected region who may be shedding the virus.

Source: BEACON - View Full Report

WHO Calls for Enhanced Coordination to Combat Polio in Afghanistan

Afghanistan 2026-07-11
Actif

The World Health Organization's regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean has emphasized the need for enhanced coordination to combat the polio virus during a meeting with the Deputy Administrative Head of the Prime Minister's Office. This comes in light of six reported human cases and thirty-four environmental cases of the virus in the country since the beginning of the year. Diplomatic Engagements on Polio Eradication in Kabul International efforts to completely eradicate poliomyelitis in South Asia have once again brought global health officials to Kabul. Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhi, the head of the World Health Organization's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, held discussions with Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hani, the Deputy Administrative Head of the current government's Prime Minister's...
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CDC issues travel advisories to tourist hotspots due to polio spread

World, World 2026-03-05
Actif

Federal health officials have issued urgent travel warnings for more than 30 countries over the increased circulation of polio.

The CDC has issued level 2 travel advisories for 32 countries, including the UK and Spain, urging Americans traveling to those nations to 'practice enhanced precautions.'

The advisory is in response to the circulation of polio, a highly infectious virus that spreads through airborne droplets and feces and attacks the nervous system.

While the virus lurks silently for

đź“° 11 news sources reporting on this story.

đź”— Read more at Techdirt

Why I'm paying ÂŁ240 privately to get this jab BEFORE the NHS offers it

United Kingdom, England 2026-02-10
Actif

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,

đź”— Read more at Vox

World Polio Day 2025: A Reminder To Protect Every Child In Polio-Free India

India 2025-10-24
Actif

On 24th October every year, World Polio Day is observed all over the globe, in memory of Dr. Jonas Salk, the scientist who was instrumental in developing the first successful vaccine for polio. This day serves as a reminder that continued caution and vigilance is still crucial in the fight against polio. Polio, also known as poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus that attacks the nervous system. It can cause permanent paralysis or even death in extreme cases. At its peak, thousands of children were afflicted by polio worldwide. The development of the polio vaccine is considered to be one of the greatest achievements in the field of medicine, as it helped contain the spread of this infectious disease and turn it into a preventable condition. World Polio Day s...
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Why has wild polio been found in Germany, and what does it mean for the world

World, World 2025-11-14
Actif

LONDON, Nov 15 -- Germany has found the wild polio virus in a sewage sample in Hamburg, the first such detection in Europe since 2010. What is polio? Polio, short for poliomyelitis, is an infectious disease that terrified parents worldwide for much of the first half of the 20th century. Affecting... Source: Malay Mail - Read Full Article

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Ressources Expertes et Références

Informations fiables provenant des principales organisations de santé

CDC

Directives officielles des Centers for Disease Control and Prevention des États-Unis

Voir les Ressources du CDC →

WHO

Surveillance mondiale des maladies et directives de l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé

Voir les Ressources de l'OMS →

Recherche

Dernières recherches évaluées par les pairs et études cliniques

Voir la Recherche →

Contenu Révisé Médicalement

Les informations sur les maladies sur Virus Watcher sont révisées par notre Épidémiologiste en Chef, ancien analyste principal du CDC pour les prévisions FluSight. Les données épidémiques sont agrégées à partir de sources vérifiées notamment BEACON, ProMED, OMS, CDC et plus de 50 agences nationales de santé. Ces informations sont à des fins éducatives et ne doivent pas remplacer les conseils médicaux professionnels.

Dernière révision : 2026-08-13

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