Context
The central government will vaccinate returnees from Afghanistan with polio vaccines as a preventive measure against the wild poliovirus.
What is Wild Poliovirus?
- Wild poliovirus (WPV) is the most commonly known form of the poliovirus.
- There is another form of polio that can spread within communities: circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus, or cVDPV.
- While cVDPVs are rare, they have been increasing in recent years due to low immunization rates within communities.
Oral Polio Vaccine
- Oral polio vaccine (OPV) contains an attenuated (weakened) vaccine-virus, activating an immune response in the body.
- When a child is immunized with OPV, the weakened vaccine-virus replicates in the intestine for a limited period, thereby developing immunity by building up antibodies.
- During this time, the vaccine-virus is also excreted.
- In areas of inadequate sanitation, this excreted vaccine-virus can spread in the immediate community, before eventually dying out.
Situation of wild poliovirus across world
Wild poliovirus free country
- Africa has been declared free from wild polio.
- Nigeria is the last African country to be declared free from wild polio.
Where wild polio is still present?
- Wild polio is still present in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- 94 WPV1 cases during the same time period in 2020.
