With cases of polio spreading in the UK for the first time in 40 years, experts are advising people to make sure their polio jabs are up to date and to be wary of symptoms. There are two different types of polio that cause different signs in the body. These are non-paralytic and paralytic polio.
“Initial signs and symptoms of paralytic polio, such as fever and headache, often mimic those of nonparalytic polio”, the Mayo Clinic says.
Within a week, however, other signs and symptoms appear, including:
- Loss of reflexes
- Severe muscle aches or weakness
- Loose and floppy limbs (flaccid paralysis)
But there are also symptoms that can affect people years after having the illness.
DON’T MISS
As with many diseases, vaccination is the best way to prevent getting polio.
The clinic advises contacting a doctor for polio vaccination recommendations before travelling to “a part of the world where polio still occurs naturally or where oral polio vaccine (OPV) is used, such as Central and South America, Africa and Asia”.
It also recommends calling your doctor if: your child hasn’t completed the vaccine series, has an allergic reaction to the polio vaccine or has problems other than a mild redness or soreness at the vaccine injection site.
