Polio Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Polio, including details on symptoms, treatment, vaccines, causes, virus.

Seroprevalence of anti-polio antibodies in a population 7 months to 39 years of age in Uruguay: Implications for future polio vaccination strategies.

Pírez MC, Olivera I, Diabarboure H, Montano A, Barañano R, Badía F, Bonnet MC

University of the Republic, School of Medicine, Montevideo, Uruguay.

This study evaluated the seroprevalence of poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 antibodies and vaccination coverage in 780 subjects aged between 7 months and 39 years in Montevideo, Uruguay, where oral polio vaccine (OPV) is used. Antibody titers were measured and seroprotection rates and geometric mean titers (GMTs) were compared among four age groups. Vaccination histories were recorded from documents and interviews. Seroprotection rates ranged from 72% to 95% in children aged 7-23 months, 31-77% in 2-9-year olds, 14-45% in 10-19-year olds and 20-59.5% in 20-39-year olds. Seroprotection decreased significantly with increasing age (p<0.05). Polio vaccination coverage was >90% for the two youngest age groups. These results could help guide public policy decisions regarding polio vaccination, and support the use of inactivated polio vaccine following cessation of OPV.

Published 11 May 2009 in Vaccine, 27(20): 2689-94.
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Articles on Polio published 11 May 2009:

Vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV): Impact on poliomyelitis eradication.   Vaccine, 27(20): 2649-52.

The live attenuated strains used in the oral poliovirus (OPV) have been the main tool in the WHO polio eradication programme. However, these strains replicate in the human gut and are excreted for several weeks after immunisation. During this period, the attenuating mutations in the vaccine strains can rapidly revert. This may, in rare cases, cause vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) in vaccinees or result in transmissible and neurovirulent circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Polio published 5 May 2009:

Predictive value of immunization records and risk factors for immunization failure in internationally adopted children.   Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 163(5): 473-9.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the predictive value of immunization records for protective immunity and identify risk factors for immunization failure. DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional study, 2001-2006. SETTING: International Adoption Clinic, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 465 international adoptees presenting within 180 days of arrival. Main Exposure Immunization records of vaccines given. OUTCOME MEASURES: Protective immunity to polio, hepatitis ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Polio published 30 March 2009:

Oral poliovirus vaccine type 3 from a patient with transverse myelitis is neurovirulent in a transgenic mouse model.   J Clin Virol, 44(4): 268-71.

BACKGROUND: It is accepted that oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) can cause vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) and that wild poliovirus infection can rarely present as transverse myelitis. It is therefore possible that OPV could cause transverse myelitis. We previously reported a case of transverse myelitis that developed in a 6-month-old boy, 7 days after receiving his second dose of OPV. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to test the virus from this patient with transverse myelitis for ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Ala67Thr mutation in the poliovirus receptor CD155 is a potential risk factor for vaccine and wild-type paralytic poliomyelitis.   J Med Virol, 81(5): 933-6.

Poliovirus infections can be asymptomatic or cause severe paralysis. Why some individuals develop paralytic poliomyelitis is unknown, but a role for host genetic factors has been suggested. To investigate if a polymorphism, Ala67Thr, in the poliovirus receptor, which has been found to facilitate increased resistance against poliovirus-induced cell lysis and apoptosis, is associated with increased risk of paralytic poliomyelitis, poliovirus receptor genotyping was undertaken among Italian ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Polio published 11 March 2009:

Evolution of the Sabin vaccine into pathogenic derivatives without appreciable changes in antigenic properties: need for improvement of current poliovirus surveillance.   J Virol, 83(7): 3402-6.

The Sabin oral polio vaccine (OPV) may evolve into pathogenic viruses, causing sporadic cases and outbreaks of poliomyelitis. Such vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPV) generally exhibit altered antigenicity. The current paradigm to distinguish VDPV from OPV and wild polioviruses is to characterize primarily those poliovirus isolates that demonstrate deviations from OPV in antigenic and genetic intratypic differentiation (ITD) tests. Here we report on two independent cases of poliomyelitis caused ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Polio published 26 January 2009:

Myotonic dystrophy mimicking postpolio syndrome in a polio survivor.   Am J Phys Med Rehabil, 88(2): 161-4.

We describe a 38-yr-old polio survivor with newly developed weakness from myotonic dystrophy. He suffered muscle atrophy and weakness in his legs as a result of poliomyelitis at the age of 3 yrs. After a stable interval of about 30 yrs, he felt new weakness and fatigue in his legs. Electromyography revealed generalized myotonic discharges, early recruitment, and findings of chronic denervation in his left leg. Genetic testing was consistent with myotonic dystrophy type 1. A biopsy from the ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Identification of novel candidate protein biomarkers for the post-polio syndrome - implications for diagnosis, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.   J Proteomics, 71(6): 670-81.

Survivors of poliomyelitis often develop increased or new symptoms decades after the acute infection, a condition known as post-polio syndrome (PPS). The condition affects 20-60% of previous polio patients, making it one of the most common causes of neurological deficits worldwide. The underlying pathogenesis is not fully understood and accurate diagnosis is not feasible. Herein we investigated whether it was possible to identify proteomic profile aberrations in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Polio published 12 January 2009:

Transmission of imported vaccine-derived poliovirus in an undervaccinated community in Minnesota.   J Infect Dis, 199(3): 391-7.

BACKGROUND: Oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) has not been used in the United States since 2000. Type 1 vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) was identified in September 2005, from an unvaccinated Amish infant hospitalized in Minnesota with severe combined immunodeficiency. An investigation was conducted to determine the source of the virus and its means of transmission. METHODS: The infant was tested serially for poliovirus excretion. Investigations were conducted to detect poliovirus infections or ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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