- Home
- Health Topics
- Articles
- Video
What is polio? Polio is an infectious disease that is caused by the poliovirus. As this eMedTV segment explains, it caused severe illness in thousands of people each year before a vaccine was introduced in 1955. This page discusses polio in detail.
What causes polio? This eMedTV page explains that polio is caused by an infection with the poliovirus, a highly contagious virus that only affects humans. This article provides a description of poliovirus and explains how it is transmitted.
Poliomyelitis virus is the highly contagious virus that causes polio. This selection from the eMedTV archives provides an overview of this virus. This article discusses the history, transmission, and possible eradication of poliomyelitis virus.
How is polio spread? In most cases, polio is spread through contact with stool from an infected person. As this eMedTV Web page explains, this can include eating food that has been contaminated with poliovirus. This page discusses polio transmission.
The time between polio transmission and the start of polio symptoms is called the polio incubation period. This eMedTV segment explains that this period can be as short as 4 days or as long as 35. This page discusses the incubation period in detail.
The signs and symptoms of polio can range from fever to muscle aches to paralysis. This part of the eMedTV library takes an in-depth look at possible symptoms, including those of paralytic poliomyelitis, which occurs in less than one percent of cases.
When diagnosing polio, the doctor will ask a number of questions and order certain tests. This eMedTV article describes the process of making a polio diagnosis. This page also includes a list of diseases that are sometimes mistaken for polio.
Treatment for polio usually consists of fluids, medications, and rest to treat the symptoms of the disease. This eMedTV segment explains that there is currently no cure for polio, so treatment focuses on supportive care until the patient recovers.
Polio prevention is available through the polio vaccine. This selection from the eMedTV archives talks about the significance of the polio vaccine and discusses other methods of polio prevention, such as avoiding infected people.
The only cure for polio is time; in most cases, the body is able to effectively kill the poliovirus. As this eMedTV Web page explains, polio prevention is available in the form of a vaccine. This page explains how prevention is the best "cure."
There are two types of polio vaccine: inactive polio vaccine and oral polio vaccine. Both prevent polio. This eMedTV segment discusses the types, history, and administration of polio vaccination, including a vaccination schedule for children.
Several conditions (including diphtheria and myasthenia gravis) can mimic the symptoms of polio. This eMedTV Web page offers a detailed list of diseases similar to polio in signs and symptoms.
Polio history stretches from antiquity to the present day. As this eMedTV article explains, a turning point came in 1955, with the introduction of an inactivated polio vaccine. This article offers an in-depth look at polio history.
| Referring Pages | Articles |
