Treatment
Unfortunately, no cure for polio exists, and so the focus is on increasing comfort, speeding recovery and preventing complications. Supportive treatments include
However, vaccines to prevent contracting polio does exist, including:
Oral polio vaccine (OPV):
- Inexpensive - safe, effective, long-lasting
Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV):
- Triggers excellent immunity in most people
- Over five times expensive as oral polio vaccine - Requires trained health workers and sterile injection equipment |
Monovalent oral polio vaccines (mOPV1 and mOPV3):
- Children being immunized for the first time are provided stronger immunity - Children excrete less virus for a shorter period of time; limiting further transmission Bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV):
- more effective than OPV - simplifies vaccine and optimizes protection in areas of limited access to children |