SPECIAL ARTICLE ON “ A WORLD WITHOUT POLIO”

7/28/2019 SPECIAL ARTICLE ON A WORLD WITHOUT POLIO

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SPECIAL ARTICLE ON A WORLD WITHOUT POLIO CRIPPLING DISEASE IN A

CRIPPLING GLOBALIZED WORLD ORDER

Why to study this topic in detail

Recently Taliban killed social workers who were giving polio vaccine tochildren

India is a polio free nation from past two years. It will get the certificate inJanuary 13, 2014.

So frequently Polio is coming in news. So we have to study about polio indetail.

What is virus

o Viruses are communicable agents that cannot replicate without thepresence of the host cell. Penetrating the host cell, reproducing and staying

away from the defense system of the body are the main survival points of

viruses.

What is DNA

DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is the major storage for genetic codes thatcontains information for the functioning and advancement of all living

organism.

What is DNA virus

A DNA virus is a virus that has DNA as its genetic material. The nucleic acid is usually double-stranded DNA (dsDNA).

What is RNA

RNA or ribonucleic acid is a nucleic polymer acid that performs a significantrole in translating the genetic code from the DNA to protein products. It is

found in the nucleus and cytoplasm.


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What is RNA virus

An RNA virus is a virus that has RNA (ribonucleic acid) as its genetic material This nucleic acid is usually single-stranded RNA (ssRNA)

Difference between DNA virus and RNA virus

DNA Virus RNA virus

No of Strands double-stranded single-stranded

Stability More stable Less stable

Mutation rate Low High

Remember that DNA is less susceptible to mutation. Also mutation occursslowly over long period of time [means 1000s of years]. But RNA is more

susceptible to mutation within short span of time.

How Virus is different from Bacteria

VIRUS BACTERIA

Infection

produced

Systematic Localized

Treatment Viral diseases have never beentreated, but we can make

vaccines for them.

o But Bacteria diseases aretreatable; whileSize Smaller Larger

Use of

antibiotics

Antibiotics cannot kill viruses But antibiotics can kill bacteria

Living / non-

living

Non living Living

Reproduction Occurs only inside the host cells

Cannot reproduceindependently [ thats why it is

called non living]

Can reproduce independently

Growth Do not feed, excrete and grow Feed, excrete and grow

Both do not contain nucleus


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What is Polio

o It is an acute, viral, infectious disease spread from person to person,primarily via the fecal-oral route

o Poliovirus only infects humans.What about Polio Virus

o Poliovirus, the causative agent of poliomyelitis, is a human enterovirus.o Poliovirus is a RNA virus

How Wild Polio virus differs from Vaccine Polio virus

oNatural polioviruses are called wild to distinguish them from vaccinepolioviruses that constitute OPV.

o Vaccine viruses are attenuated from wild viruses which means theyhave lost most of their virulence, the ability to cause paralysis and the

ability to spread fast among children. These two are the dreaded qualities

of wild polioviruses.

Why Polio virus has many subtypes

There are three known types of polioviruses (called 1,2, and 3), each causinga different strain of the disease

Type 1 is the cause of epidemics and many cases of paralysis, which is themost severe manifestation of the infection

Why to worry too much about Polio virus

Generally we have to worry more about a disease when it carries highinfectivity [ spreading fast in short span of time].

Poliovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes the medical conditionpolio. When a person is infected with this virus, it is expected that polio

transmission among susceptible household contacts will occur in nearly 100

percent of children and more than 90 percent of adults

How the disease spreads


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In simple language, First Polio virus enters the gut via mouth [ faeco oralroute]reaches bloodreaches central nervous system or simply brain

from here, virus spreads to nerves which are supplying muscles

damages the nerves and muscles become unable to contractnowbecause of muscle weakness deformities occurs

How Polio virus varies according to climatic conditions

It is more common during summer months in temperate climates. In tropical climates [ example India], there is no seasonal pattern.

Why Polio is called as Paralyzing disease [ reason mentioned above]


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Although approximately 90% of polio infections cause no symptoms at all,affected individuals can exhibit a range of symptoms if the virus enters

the blood stream. In about 1% of cases, the virus enters the central nervous

system, preferentially infecting and destroying motor neurons, leadingto muscle weakness and acute flaccid paralysis

What are all the steps taken by India to become a Polio free nation

o Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization Programmeo Under expanded programme of immunization [ EPI]

Age group affected by Polio


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o Polio (poliomyelitis) mainly affects children under five years of age.Polio Endemic Nations

o In 2012, only three countries (Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan) remainpolio-endemic, down from more than 125 in 1988. [In the diagram given

below, remove India from the list]

How to prevent Polio

o There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented. Polio vaccine, givenmultiple times, can protect a child for life.

Why recently in news

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF join the Government ofPakistan and the provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in

condemning the multiple attacks that have killed nine health workers

recently


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January 13, 2013 marked two years since a child was paralyzed by wildpoliovirus in India, a country once considered the most complex challenge to

global polio eradication.

Global Polio Eradication Emergency Action Plan

It aims to boost vaccination coverage in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan,the three remaining polio endemic countries, to levels needed to stop polio

transmission.

Situation of Polio in 1980s In India

In the 1980s, only three decades ago, 200,000 to 400,000 children, all under5 years, were afflicted with polio paralysis annually in India. That was a

daily average of 500 to 1000 cases. By the age of six, eight among 1,000

children already had polio paralysis; two would have died. In other words,

one per cent of infants born were destined to develop polio.

Why India started Pulse Immunization programme

o By 1988, diphtheria, whooping cough and neonatal tetanus had declined tocontrol levels as a result of EPIs efforts. But polio did not come under

control showing that OPV was not as effective in India as in the West or

in China. There, just three or four doses protected all children. In India, we

had to give many more doses for equal effect. From 1994, India began

nationwide OPV campaigns (called pulse immunisation) two per year

to give additional doses to all under-five children irrespective of the number

of doses already given. That resulted in effectively controlling polio by 2000.

One of the three types of polioviruses, wild type 2, was even eradicated by

October 1999 when the average number of OPV doses had reached six perchild. The type 2 component of OPV was not only more effective against

that type, but it also inhibited the effect of types 1 and 3.

When we can say that Polio is under control

o Control status required at least 95 per cent reduction.


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When we can say that a nation is free from polio

No new case occurred for THREE years. Then WHO certifies that India is free from Polio.

Why should we wait for three to declare a nation as polio free nation

Even all nations of world may be announced Polio virus free nations. butVirus may present in inactivated form for maximum upto three years. After

that it will not be able infect humans. Thats why India monitors Polio for

three years before getting polio free nation certificate.

Under expanded programme of immunization [ EPI]

In 1978, India launched the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI)with BCG and DPT vaccines. The oral polio vaccine (OPV) was introduced the

next year

Why India should fear about Pakistan

o India may be in a solid position in terms of military capability whencomparing it to Pakistan. But Pakistan has one special weapon called Polio

virus. Because it is one of focus country, ie it is one of the endemic countryaffected by Polio virus [ other 2 nations are Afghanistan and Nigeria]

because Polio virus is highly contagious virus. So it can reach india and once

reaches it has the ability to spread fast.

o India has five points of border-crossing with Pakistan: two in Jammu-Kashmir, two in Punjab, and one in Rajasthan. At every point, individuals

are given one dose of tOPV when they enter India

Is it worth to spend 1000s of crore rupees on one disease [ Polio] every year

o Many have questioned the wisdom of spending such large amounts on onechildhood disease. Was polio worth eradicating? From a humanitarian

viewpoint as well as human rights angle no child deserved to be paralysed

by a preventable disease


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o The disability-determined productivity loss may be taken as about half ofthe gross domestic product per capita.

o Controlling diseases that affect productivity is indeed a developmentactivity. Eradicating polio is an investment. The absence of polio is both ameasure of, and a means to, development.

Role of National Polio Eradication certification Committee

o The National Polio Eradication Certification Committee will confirmeradication of wild viruses and review the secure containment of laboratory

storage of wild poliovirus strains or specimens likely to contain them before

certifying India free of wild viruses. The Committee will wait for three years

from the last virus detection before certification procedures, expected after

January 2014

Need for a World without even single Wild polio virus

Even if one wild polio virus survives, it replicates rapidly and within fewyears, it has the capacity to spread to the entire world. India itself spends

thousands of crore rupees every year to control Polio. Entire world spends

lakhs of crore rupees to control Polio. Because it mostly affects children

under the age of five. If it is not controlled, the future generations will born

with deformities. Then sustainability of the world will become questionable.

In order not to create any polio immunity vacuum, the inactivated poliovirusvaccine will be introduced and sustained for at least five years. Polio

eradication will then mean no infection with any poliovirus, wild or

vaccine.

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SPECIAL ARTICLE ON “ A WORLD WITHOUT POLIO”