Poliomyelitis

In literal translation the name of a disease "Poliomyelitis" sounds as "a gray spinal cord", that is at this infectious disease the activator which is an enterovirus first of all gets into gray matter of a spinal cord and motive kernels of a brainstem.

Poliomyelitis is called still Heine-Medina's disease, children's spinal paralysis, acute epidemic poliomyelitis, spinal children's paralysis, epidemic children's paralysis. As appears from names, in risk group there are children to seven-year age. The disease postponed at early age is capable to reduce considerably quality of life further as one of the heaviest complications of poliomyelitis is the damage of the central nervous system which is characterized by development of sluggish paresis and paralyzes.

In certain cases the disease proceeds in the erased or asymptomatic form. The person can be the virus carrier, allocating it in external environment together with a stake and allocations from a nose, and at the same time to feel absolutely healthy. Meanwhile a susceptibility to poliomyelitis rather high that is fraught with bystry spread of a disease among the children's population.

Though it is considered that poliomyelitis is a disease of the people living in insanitary conditions cases of emergence of epidemic regardless of a condition of hygiene in those places where the population has no immunity to this serious illness are frequent. Seasonality of developing of poliomyelitis is noted, the peak of incidence falls on the aestivo-autumnal period.

Types and symptoms of poliomyelitis

On average from the beginning of infection before emergence of symptoms of a disease there pass 7-12 days. The virus comes in the alimentary (food) way through the contaminated food and water to a human body. Originally he moves into in digestive tract and only then is soaked up in blood. Poliomyelitis can proceed as in an easy, and severe form.

Depending on localization of process and a possibility of development of paralyzes poliomyelitis is subdivided into two forms which in turn are divided into several types:

a) Not paralytic poliomyelitis. This form meets in most cases.

- abortal when the disease proceeds as an acute respiratory disease or flu. The patient shows complaints to deterioration in health, weakness, fatigue, a headache and the increased temperature. Insignificant dysfunction of intestines, a pharynx hyperemia, the catarral phenomena from upper respiratory tracts is sometimes observed. Recovery occurs in 3-5 days.

- meningeal. The virus affects serous covers of a brain therefore poliomyelitis proceeds in the form of serous meningitis. The most characteristic complaints for this form of a disease are the feverish state, vomiting, sharp head and foot pains. Truly meningeal symptoms, like a stiff neck, are expressed slightly. The disease disappears almost completely in 3-4 weeks after the beginning.

b) Paralytic poliomyelitis. Develops rather seldom, but, as a rule, leads to disturbance of many functions of an organism and, respectively, to disability:

- spinal. Weakness and muscle pain gradually are replaced by paralysis as the general, and partial. Damage of muscles at this form of poliomyelitis can be symmetric, but paralysis of separate groups of muscles on all trunk meets.

- bulbar. Danger of this type of poliomyelitis consists in development of the paralysis of a respiratory organs, in hard cases leading to the death of the patient.

- pontinny. Development of paresis and paralyzes of a facial nerve at which there is a partial or full loss of mimic movements is characteristic of this type of poliomyelitis.

- mixed of which the combination of symptoms of all types of paralytic poliomyelitis is characteristic.

Treatment of poliomyelitis

Still specific treatment against poliomyelitis does not exist. Fight against a disease consists in performing symptomatic therapy in the conditions of a hospital. For prevention of development of bone and joint complications in preparalytic and paralytic stages absolute rest is shown to the patient. Also at this time the antiinflammatory and anesthetizing drugs, vitamins, tranquilizers are used. At paralysis of a respiratory organs the medical ventilator is connected.

During recovery in addition to medicinal therapy physiotherapeutic procedures, massage and physiotherapy exercises are applied. Treatment at the orthopedist is in addition recommended. Further regular sanatorium treatment is shown to the patient who had poliomyelitis.

Prevention of poliomyelitis

The best prevention of developing of poliomyelitis and complications after it is the inoculation after which lifelong immunity to three main viruses causing a disease is created.

Poliomyelitis inoculations begin to do with three-months age. The peroral and inactivated vaccines are used. In the first case introduction is carried out through a mouth, in the second – by means of injections.

During the period up to six months in total the kid receives three giving a specific vaccine. For maintenance of acceptable level of the immune status the revaccination is carried out. Terms of repeated introduction of a vaccine depends on its form: the peroral vaccine is given aged 18 and 20 months, further in 14 years whereas the revaccination of the inactivated vaccine against poliomyelitis is carried out in a year after the finished vaccination and further each five-ten years.

Single-step introduction to an organism of vaccine AKDS and poliomyelitis, but different syringes and to different places is allowed.

In general the poliomyelitis inoculation is transferred well, morbidity in an injection site, an easy hyperemia, low body temperature and small consolidation is only in certain cases noted. When giving a peroral vaccine emergence of abdominal pains, a liquid chair and febricula is possible. All these phenomena very quickly and completely pass, do not demand special treatment.

It is undesirable to refuse carrying out inoculations against poliomyelitis, motivating with that, as after vaccination development of complications and infection is possible. It is necessary to remember that even if the child will get sick, then imparted according to a calendar of inoculations will much easier have a disease, without development of such heavy complication of poliomyelitis as paralysis.