An acute viral infection caused by poliovirus that can invade the nervous system and cause irreversible paralysis within hours, historically striking children in large epidemics through the first half of the twentieth century. The British physician Michael Underwood gave the first clear clinical description in 1789; the poliovirus itself was identified in 1908 by Karl Landsteiner and Erwin Popper. Jonas Salk's inactivated vaccine, introduced in 1955, and Albert Sabin's oral live vaccine, introduced in 1961, made near-global elimination achievable, and the disease is now endemic in only a small number of countries, though not yet certified eradicated.
Facts
Condition Class Causative Agent First DescribedMarks Michael Underwood's first clear clinical description; the poliovirus itself was not identified until 1908, by Karl Landsteiner and Erwin Popper. PrevalenceWild poliovirus cases fell from an estimated 350,000 in 1988 to a small number of reported cases in the early 2020s, according to World Health Organization and Global Polio Eradication Initiative data; the disease is not yet certified eradicated. 5 Disputed
First Described (Era)Possible depiction on an Egyptian stele, circa 1400 BCE. 4 An Egyptian stele from around 1400 BCE, depicting a man with a withered, shortened leg leaning on a staff, is widely, though not universally, interpreted by historians as an early depiction of the disease's after-effects; the identification is probable rather than certain. Classification
Body SystemSourced to the subject's own account ICD-10 ChapterI: Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases 2 Communicable or Non-communicable Poliomyelitis
Filter Results1 entry
Connections
Associated With
Source The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of HumanityRoy Porter
Treated By
Vaccination prevents infection rather than treating active disease; Salk's 1955 inactivated vaccine and Sabin's 1961 oral vaccine are the historically relevant instances recorded on this atlas under the general Vaccination entity.
Source The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of HumanityRoy Porter
Sources
1. Polio (Wikipedia)
WikipediaWikipedia infobox, field/specialty parameterQuote, Wikipedia infobox, field/specialty parameter
Neurology, infectious disease
2. Wikipedia: ICD-10
WikipediaList of chapters, Chapter IQuote, List of chapters, Chapter I
Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
3. Encyclopaedia Britannica
4. The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of Humanity
Roy Porter, W. W. Norton and Company, 1997
5. World Health Organization Fact Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vaccines made near-global elimination of polio achievable?
Salk's inactivated vaccine of 1955 and Sabin's oral vaccine of 1961.
Jonas Salk's inactivated vaccine, introduced in 1955, and Albert Sabin's oral live vaccine, introduced in 1961, made near-global elimination achievable.
Has polio been eradicated?
No, it is endemic in only a small number of countries.
Not yet certified eradicated. The disease is now endemic in only a small number of countries.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.