Definition:

The poliomyelitis (polio ) vaccine protects against poliovirus infections. The vaccine helps the body produce antibodies (protective substances) that will prevent an individual from contracting polio. There are two forms of the vaccine that can be given; the one preferred is the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV). IPV is preferred because it contains the inactivated or dead virus, which is considered safer for administration. The Sabin oral polio vaccine was made with a live but weakened virus, which gives the advantage of passive immunity for large groups (i.e. because it is easily passed on through the oral-fecal route in households, schoolrooms, etc., even if only a portion of the community is immunized, everyone eventually develops immunity). The Sabin oral polio vaccine has the disadvantage of causing polio-like symptoms in some immune-compromised hosts. Since 2000, the live virus vaccine is rarely used in the United States, but it is still being used in other countries.

Description:
The purpose of any vaccine is to prevent disease. Mass immunizations in the United States have served to eradicate polio in the Americas. In 1988, the World Health Organization embarked upon a mission to eradicate polio by the year 2000. The intent was to immunize the world’s children by methodically establishing sites where the masses could be reached. The mandate was to eradicate the virus by 2005. Most of the remaining virus can be found on the Indian subcontinent and Nigeria. Attempts to immunize children in Indian have met with good results, but Nigeria halted their immunization sites due to rumors that Western donors had tampered with the vaccine to spread HIV and cause sterility in Muslim males. Following a ban on the vaccine that lasted nearly one year, the virus spread across Nigeria to 10 African countries that were previously polio-free. The Muslim leaders in Nigeria lifted the ban in summer 2004. Immunization from the IPV triggers an excellent immune response and long-lasting immunity to all three poliovirus types.

General use:
The inactivated poliovirus vaccine is injected into a muscle or under the skin and is usually given by a health care professional in a hospital, clinic, or provider’s office. The use of this vaccine must be officially recorded. Federal law requires that the vaccine manufacturer’s name, the lot number of the vaccine, the name, address, and phone number of the person giving the vaccine, and the date of vaccine administration be recorded in a permanent medical record. For children, the vaccine is usually started at two months of age and given again at four months of age. The next dose should be given between six and 18 months of age with a final booster dose at age four to six years, for a total of four doses. Serious reactions to the inactivated poliovirus vaccine are rare in small children. It is necessary to receive all doses of the vaccine and there is no generic vaccine available.

Precautions:
Individuals with an immune deficiency disease need to be counseled before taking the vaccine, and anyone with allergic reactions to prior vaccines and preservatives should be cautious. A provider may want to delay giving a child a dose of IPV or may not give it at all if the child has a known severe allergy to the antibiotics neomycin, streptomycin, or polymyxin B. A child who had a life-threatening reaction to a previous IPV should not receive another one.

There is no preparation necessary for the vaccine; however, if an individual is ill on the scheduled date, it is essential to make arrangements for a follow-up appointment as no dose can be missed.