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• Highlights
• Introduction
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis
• Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
• Varicella-Zoster Virus (Chickenpox)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Poliomyelitis
• Pneumococcal Pneumonia
• Viral Influenza
• Haemophilus Type B
• Smallpox
• Other Vaccinations
• Resources
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Immunizations

Description

An in-depth report on the purpose of immunizations and recommended schedules.

Alternative Names

Measles; Rubella; Tetanus; Vaccinations; Whooping cough

Poliomyelitis

Poliomyelitis, more commonly known as polio, is a disorder caused by a virus and marked by potentially paralyzing nerve-related damage, which can be fatal. Fifty years ago it was a major killer of children, and it remains a threat in parts of Asia and Africa today. Vaccination programs eliminated the disease in the Americas in 1994, with the last case of wild poliovirus in the US reported in 1979. As of 2004, polio has been eradicated in the Americas, the Western Pacific, and Europe.

Vaccines for Poliovirus

Two poliovirus vaccines have been available in the US: oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), which is a live-virus vaccine, and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), which is a killed vaccine that is administered by injection. Both produce immunity in over 95% of people. The live-virus used in the vaccine, however, has, in some cases, reverted to a form that can cause polio in unvaccinated people. This is a particular danger in developing countries where vaccination rates are low. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends only the inactivated IPV vaccine for children. The schedule is four doses of IPV at ages 2 months, 4 months, 6 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years.

Poliovirus Vaccine in Older Children and Adults. The poliovirus vaccine is not usually recommended for people over 18. Exceptions are unvaccinated healthcare workers, laboratory technicians, or others exposed to polioviruses. Travelers to developing countries where outbreaks of poliovirus have been reported should be vaccinated. Adults should also be given the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV).

Side Effects of the Poliomyelitis Vaccines

Allergic Reactions. The IPV contains small amounts of streptomycin and neomycin, so people allergic to these antibiotics can also have an allergic response to this vaccine. Patients should report any allergies to their physician.

Paralysis. Rare cases of paralysis have occurred in people taking the oral live poliovirus vaccine or in those exposed to recipients of this vaccine. It should be stressed the risk is very small, with only one case occurring out of 2.4 million doses. Since the introduction of the current recommended series that uses only IPV, no cases have been reported.

Contamination by Simian Virus 40. The public has been alarmed by reports of contamination of polio vaccines given between 1955 and 1963 by a virus known as SV40. The virus has been detected in certain rare cancers, including mesothelioma (a lung cancer normally associated with asbestos exposure), osteosarcoma, some brain tumors, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Still, about 98 million people may have been exposed, and most of these cancers are very rare (although some, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, are increasing). At least 40 years of observation have raised no red flags that indicate any serious problem. However, polio, once a major killer of children, has nearly been wiped out worldwide.

• Review Date: 2/14/2007
• Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy; previously reviewed by Harvey Simon, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital (8/23/2006).

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