This week for the assigned blog, Erin and I had the Polio Vaccine.. Well, first off, I should probably find out what polio even is. The only thing I know about it, is that my grandma had it during her childhood. Polio is short for Poliomyelitis and is a disease caused by viruses. It starts in the nervous system and can lead to feeling numb or paralyzed. Most cases are in children under three, but can strike at anyone at anytime. The virus is entered through the mouth and it gets spread and multiplies in the intestine. Some warning signs are fever, tiredness, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the arms and legs. About 1 out of 200 cases, one paralyzation is irreversiable, some even die when their breathing muscles become paralyzed. Fewer than 1% of the cases of polio actually result in paralyzation.
Now that i know what polio is, I can pry understand the vaccine a little bit better. Like I said I know my grandma had polio when she was younger. I was planning on talking to her about it and really getting inside of it with someone who had experienced polio. But this was a busy weekend, but I will probably ask her about it at a family function.. But back to the vaccine.
The Inactivated Polio Vaccine, or Salk vaccine, was created by Dr. Jonas Salk in 1952. The vaccine contains the three different strains of Polio. Trials with the vaccine were started in 1954. Results really hit their high, the permission for the vaccine was granted very quick by the government in 1955. The polio patients saw a huge improvement and the number of cases fell drastically. In 1987, a newer more potent version of the vaccine came out that contains greater antigenic content than the original. The vaccine produces protective antibodies in the blood against the viruses. The vaccine provides the ability to stop the spread of the virus and prevent the person from getting polio.
The Oral Polio Vaccine was developed in 1958 by Dr. Albert Sabin. Dr. Albert Sabin created a more trusty and better working vaccine taken oraly. A person immuznized by the oral vaccine will be prevented from polio their whole life from any kind of polio virus.
http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_160/Projects1999/polio/vac.html
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