When I think of polio, the first thing I think of is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I think it says something that the first case of polio that comes to mind for me is one from so long ago. But for many developing countries around the world, polio is not quite something that is a thing of the distant past. According to a CNN article, countries like the Philippines, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are experiencing cases of vaccine-derived strains of polio as of recently, and organizations like the WHO and UNICEF are pushing for participation in synchronized polio vaccination. But what does this mean? Some might think that receiving the polio vaccine is GIVING people polio. It’s a LOT more complicated than that. Let me explain.
There are two types of polio vaccinations. The first type is known as the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). According to a systematic review from Cochrane Systematic Reviews, the IPV is the slightly less affordable option for polio vaccination, which is why it is not used as much in developing countries. The other type of vaccine is the oral polio vaccine (OPV). OPV is the attenuated vaccine, and is more effective at eradicating wild polio virus than IPV, but it is more likely to mutate and cause paralysis since it is a piece of the weakened virus (Cochrane Systematic Reviews). This is exactly what’s going on in the Philippines, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. To me, it seems that BOTH the IPV and OPV are essential in eradicating polio, and we should be using the synchronized polio vaccination (with both OPV and IPV) that the WHO suggests. If it were me deciding on world health issues, it would give me a lot more peace of mind knowing that both were being used in conjunction with one another to minimize risk.
Knowing what we know about the OPV and IPV, as well as trends in polio cases recently, first world countries should step up to help in the fight to fully eradicate polio and vaccine-derived polio elsewhere. We should prioritize fundraising for organizations who aim to provide the synchronized polio vaccine to countries in need. We do not want to live in a world in which these previously-eradicated diseases begin to crop up again and threaten lives. This is a preventable disease, people! We also need to make sure that people are vaccinated here at home as well, and raise awareness about how this disease can affect people. Don’t send the world back into the 1940s!
Morgan's Microbiology 