Poliomyelitis

Omar Khan, MD, MHS, FAAFP Reviewed 06/2022

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

If the affected person is from a nonendemic country, a travel history is particularly important (3).
Most patients are asymptomatic.
~10% will show symptoms of a minor GI illness:
- Fever...

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

Garon JR, Cochi SL, Orenstein WA. The challenge of global poliomyelitis eradication. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2015;29(4):651–665.
World Heal...

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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