What disease is similar to polio?
What disease is similar to polio?
While AFM is often called a “polio-like illness,” we know that the cases seen in the United States have not been caused by the poliovirus.
Is AFM similar to polio?
AFM is a paralytic condition that is not polio—but not dissimilar to polio either.
What are the symptoms of the polio like virus?
Signs and symptoms, which can last up to 10 days, include:
- Fever.
- Sore throat.
- Headache.
- Vomiting.
- Fatigue.
- Back pain or stiffness.
- Neck pain or stiffness.
- Pain or stiffness in the arms or legs.
Is AFM contagious?
AFM is not spread from person to person. The viruses that are believed to cause AFM may be contagious from one person to another or may be spread by a mosquito or other vector depending on which virus causes the AFM.
What does polio do to a person?
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis (can’t move parts of the body).
Why did polio affect kids more?
Polio is a viral disease which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis. The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person. Polio is more common in infants and young children and occurs under conditions of poor hygiene.
Where does the polio virus come from?
The polio virus usually enters the environment in the feces of someone who is infected. In areas with poor sanitation, the virus easily spreads from feces into the water supply, or, by touch, into food. In addition, because polio is so contagious, direct contact with a person infected with the virus can cause polio.
Why do children get AFM?
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a polio-like illness that affects the nerve cells (motor neurons) in the gray matter of the spinal cord. It is thought to be due to a viral infection. Children with AFM have acute (rapid) onset of flaccid (floppy) paralysis, usually in an arm or leg.