Poliomyelitis

Mark Stephens, MD MS Reviewed 04/2024

BASICS

DESCRIPTION

An infection caused by poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3. Most patients are asymptomatic; 5–10% develop symptoms (fever, myalgias), and 0.1% develop the paralytic form of the disease (1)...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

A pure motor deficit (no sensory symptoms) following a prodrome of symptoms consistent with viral illness (headache, fever, myalgias, fatigue) raises suspicion for paralytic poliomyel...

TREATMENT

There is no curative treatment. Primary therapy is supportive. The European Federation of Neurological Societies guidelines on PPS emphasize muscular training, targeted physical therapy (PT)...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

PT is essential for patients with paralytic polio.
Counseling for the patient, caregivers, and family is useful in managing lifetime sequelae.
Bed rest is often nec...

REFERENCES

American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Poliovirus. Pediatrics. 2011; 128(4): 805– 808. [View Abstract] ...

ADDITIONAL READING

Bandyopadhyay AS, Cavestany RL, Blake IM, et al. Use of inactivated poliovirus vaccine for poliovirus outbreak response. Lancet Infect Dis. 2023;S1473-3099(23):...

CODES

ICD10

A80.9 Acute poliomyelitis, unspecified
A80.4 Acute nonparalytic poliomyelitis
A80.30 Acute paralytic poliomyelitis, unspecified
A80.39 Other acute paralytic poliomyelitis
A80.2 Acute paralytic ...

CLINICAL PEARLS

~95% of wild-virus polio cases are asymptomatic, <1% develop acute flaccid paralysis. Wild-type polio has been eradicated in the United States.
VAPP occurred in 1 of 2.9 million dose...

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