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Polio is widely known as poliomyelitis. It is a highly infectious disease that affects the human nervous system and can cause paralysis. Picornavirus is a member of the RNA virus family that causes polio disease. This contagious virus is transmitted by infected water or food and through persons by the faecal-oral route.
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Key Terms: Polio, poliovirus, diseases, contagious disease, Paralytic Polio, post-polio syndrome
What is Polio?
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Polio is a contagious disease that demolishes human nerve cells present in the spinal cord of the human body. This is a type of virus that causes muscle weakness and paralysis. It is transmitted from person to person. This virus can be transmitted through various objects or particles such as food, water, common vehicles, sneezes, cough, etc.
As per the data released by the World Health Organisation, out of 200 polio-infected people, one person suffers from permanent paralysis. Generally, children below 5 years of age are contracted this infectious virus.
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Types of Polio
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There are three types of Polio - 1) Subclinical, 2) Non-paralytic, and 3) Paralytic. All these types are defined below.
- Subclinical:
In this polio type, no symptoms can be found as this type of polio doesn't infect the central nervous system. However, not less than 95% of polio cases fall into this type.
- Non-paralytic:
This polio type doesn't cause paralysis as it doesn't infect the central nervous system.
- Paralytic:
This polio type is very infrequent and it causes full paralysis. Sometimes, it causes partial paralysis. Partial paralysis is divided into three types - i) Spinal Polio, ii) Bulbar Polio and iii) Bulbospinal Polio.
- Spinal Polio: This type affects only the spine
- Bulbar Polio: This type affects only the brainstem
- Bulbospinal Polio: This type affects both the spine and brainstem.
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Symptoms of Polio
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There are various types of symptoms found in people who are affected by the poliovirus. Details on the symptoms of different types of polio are given below.
- Non-Paralytic Polio:
In general, symptoms caused by Non-paralytic Polio disease can last not more than 10 days. Below are the lists of symptoms given.
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Abnormal reflexes
- Stiffness and pain in both arm and leg
- Problems with swallowing and breathing
- Back pain (especially neck stiffness)
- Muscle tenderness and spasms
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- Paralytic Polio:
Around 1% of the overall cases fall under this type. It causes paralysis in both the brainstem and spinal cord. This type of polio can be compared to non-paralytic polio. There are various symptoms that flare up for this virus. All the symptoms are listed below. Generally, 5% to 10% of Paralytic Polio cases, this virus affects the muscles that cause death.
- Loss of the reflexes
- Loose and floppy limbs
- Severe muscle pain and spasms
- A sudden temporary or permanent paralysis
- Deformed limbs (hips, feet, and ankles)
- Post-Polio Syndrome:
This syndrome happens after recovering from polio diseases. After 15 to 40 years, post-polio syndrome can be seen. In the below section, some symptoms of this type are given below.
- Muscle and Joint weakness
- Easily exhausted or fatigued
- Severe Muscle Pain
- Muscle atrophy
- Sleep apnea
- Breathing and swallowing trouble
- Weakness in the previously uninvolved muscles
- Concentration and memory-related trouble
- Depression
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Things to Remember
- After transmission, the virus accumulates in the intestine. Soon after, it enters the nervous system and caused paralysis.
- Approximately 95% to 99% of people who are contracted the infectious virus are asymptomatic. No symptoms can be seen in the primary, secondary, or any other stage.
- Though sometimes it is symptomless, it transmitted the infection.
- As an effect of the virus, the human body is paralyzed in the advanced stage of the disease.
- As per the survey conducted in 2010 by the World Health Organisation, by the year 2010 around 1,352 cases of poliovirus were registered worldwide.
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Sample Questions
Ques. Which body part is affected by Polio? (2 Marks)
Ans. Poliovirus mainly affects children. It is a kind of neurotropic virus that affects the human body's nervous system. Mainly it affects the spinal cord where motor tracts exist and it causes paralysis where a part of the body's muscles affects.
Ques. What are the polio vaccines? (2 Marks)
Ans. Polio Vaccines are a preventive measure that helps to protect the human body against infectious poliovirus. Polio vaccines are a combination of Salk and Sabin. Salk is defined as an inactive vaccine whereas Sabin can be defined as a live attenuated vaccine.
Ques. Which virus has both RNA and DNA? (2 Marks)
Ans. An RNA virus is defined as Ribonucleic Acid Virus. On the other hand, the full form of DNA virus is Deoxyribonucleic Acid Virus. Leuko virus has both RNA and DNA. It is a retrovirus that produces DNA over RNA.
Ques. What ailment does the Poliovirus cause? (2 Marks)
Ans. Poliovirus is the most infectious and very small virus. It is caused by poliomyelitis. The poliovirus contains capsid along with RNA genome. This virus infection enters the nervous system of the human body and damage neurons which leads to paralysis.
Ques. Which non-living crystals are the cause of the formation of poliovirus? (2 Marks)
Ans. Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) is a kind of non-living crystal that causes form the most infectious poliovirus. Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) falls into the RNA virus family. TMV infects various plants and species. This virus is transmitted through plants.
Ques. Which technique is widely used for viral vaccines in most cases? (2 Marks)
Ans. Traditional cell culture is a technique that is used for viral vaccines in most cases. It is developed from various samples of tissues. After that, it separates into various methods such as mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic.
Ques. What is the cause of polio disease? (2 Marks)
Ans. An infectious virus causes polio disease. This virus is transmitted through various processes. This virus spreads by direct interacting with infected persons. This life-threatening virus can be caused by some other reasons like contaminated water, food, etc.
Ques. What curbs the infection of Poliovirus? (2 Marks)
Ans. The Interferons curb infection of the poliovirus. There is a wide range of forms of interferons that helps to prevent bacterial infections. It also helps in delaying cell divergence. Interferons can be defined as the natural defence protein that works against the life-threatening virus.
Ques. In which area the poliovirus multiplies in the human body? (2 Marks)
Ans. Intestinal cells known as Intestinal epithelial cells play a very important role in the human body. It helps in food digesting, and nutrient absorption, and protects against infection. The infectious poliovirus multiplies in this area of the human body.
Ques. Which can eradicate Polio Virus? (2 Marks)
Ans. The life-threatening poliovirus can eradicate by the vaccine immunization process. The combination of live and killed vaccines helps to prevent this poliovirus from the human body. By maintaining some preventive measures and with the help of the vaccine immunization process, eradication of this infectious virus is possible.
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