Traveling to Polio Places?

Traveling to Polio Places?

Unfortunately polio infections continue to torment humanity as seen in this map and the new heightened notice regarding travel to countries with documented polio cases.  Is this disease more scary “looking” since it’s easier to see the effects of infection than with other pathogens that wreak their initial and long term havoc in secret, inside?  Is it because the sequelae of poliomyelitis infection is in plain sight forever, i.e. a paralyzed person physically hindered? The image of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheelchair comes to many minds.  Since Poliomyelitis virus infects the spinal cord,  the name Polio= Gray Myelos = Marrow or Spinal Cord, outcomes aren’t too favorable are they?   Fortunately, since the1955 introduction of the SALK IPV vaccine and subsequent polio vaccines that followed, we have outsmarted and can outsmart the 3 polio virus serotypes!  Although SABIN’s Oral Polio Vaccine OPV is no longer used in the United States, Inactivated Polio Virus Vaccine, IPV, IPOL is available as a single entity vaccine or in combination vaccines.  Quadracel, Kinrix, Pediarix, Pentacel and Vaxelis, vaccines that contain an IPV component.  All these vaccines are currently available for contracted discounts for immunization providers.  Sanofi’s VaccineShop.com has the single entity IPOL, as well as the combinations indicated for infants, Pentacel and Vaxelis.  GSKDirect.com has the combination Pediarix available for infants as well.

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