Indonesia to vaccinate 6.4 million under fives against polio in West Java

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 30 May 2005 - 9:00 PDT

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Indonesian health officials say over 6 million children under the age of 5 are to be vaccinated against polio in West Java. West Java is where polio struck last month - the first time the country had seen cases of polio in over ten years.

This vaccination campaign is a joint venture by Indonesian health authorities and the World Health Organization.

When the outbreak struck last month, over 6,000 children were vaccinated in the immediate area.

What is polio?

Polio is an infectious disease caused by the polio virus (poliomyelitis). It can strike at any age, but typically affects children under three. The virus is passed through poor or careless hygiene, entering the body through the mouth, then multiplying inside the throat and the intestines. Once established, the polio virus can enter the bloodstream and invade the central nervous system, spreading along nerve fibers.

As it multiplies, the virus destroys the motor neurons that activate muscles. The nerve cells cannot be regenerated and the affected muscles no longer function.

Polio paralysis is almost always irreversible. In the most severe cases, polio virus attacks the motor neurons of the brain stem, resulting in difficulty breathing and can result in death. Most children and adults infected with the polio virus suffer only symptoms of a fever; only 1 in 200 polio cases results in paralysis.