Poliomyelitis as an etiology of acute flaccid paralysis and its epidemiology

ABSTRACT

According to confirmed total polio cases in the world the incidence in Pakistan has decreased from 20% in 1997 to 6% in 1998. To find out the relative incidence of the poliomyelitis and to assess its epidemiological variables, a prospective open clinical study of acute flaccid paralysis [AFP] was carried out. A total of 44 patients with AFP were admitted to the Paediatric Medicine-II, Nishtar Hospital, Multan, during April 95 to August 96. Thirty of these patients completed the study and their stool samples were sent for the isolation of polio virus. Only 12 of these were positive for polio virus. It was P-1, wild type virus. The 6 of polio virus excretors were completely vaccinated, 3 partially vaccinated and 3 non-vaccinated. As a whole 25 [83%] were vaccinated [13 complete and 12 partial] and 8 [27%] of these had taken polio drops only on National Immunization Days [NIDs]. The cases mostly occurred during early and late summer. The maximum of cases were under 5 years [93%] and half of the total were less than 1.5 years. The majority belonged to male, lower socioeconomic and urban group