What is it?
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Polio is a severe and highly contagious viral disease, which is capable of causing paralysis, difficulty with breathing, and even potentially death. Unfortunately, there is no cure for polio at this time. When introduced to the body, it attacks and invades the person's nervous system.
Polio is commonly found in places of poor hygiene and sanitation levels, such as most third-world countries. It is found to predominately affect children of 5 years of age or under, but can still affect anyone at any age.
Polio is commonly found in places of poor hygiene and sanitation levels, such as most third-world countries. It is found to predominately affect children of 5 years of age or under, but can still affect anyone at any age.
Statistics
Infection
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There are a multitude of way for one to become infected with polio, including but not limited to:
Contact with feces of an infected person
Contact with respiratory secretions such as mucus and
saliva of an infected person
Contact with feces of an infected person
- Eating/Drinking from contaminated foods or beverages
- Touching surfaces
- Sharing items with an infected person
Contact with respiratory secretions such as mucus and
saliva of an infected person
- Being in the presence of an infected person when they cough
- Being in the presence of an infected person when they sneeze
- Touching surfaces
Symptoms
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Interestingly enough, about 90% of patients with polio have NO symptoms or either TIMID, and those who do ail from Polio usually have, but not limited to, the following symptoms:
- Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP)
- Coughing
- Back pain or stiffness
- Bulbar polio
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Headache
- Meningitis
- Muscle weakness or tenderness
- Neck pain or stiffness
- Pain or stiffness in the arms or legs
- Sore throat
- Vomiting
There is also another phase that approximately 40% of patients that have paralytic polio. This next state is referred to as post-polio syndrome. This usually develops after at least 15 years after the contraction of polio. In this new phase, one experiences new or more developed symptoms such as:
- Pain in muscles and joints
- Progressive muscle weakness
- Severe fatigue