0.1 Health education course, chapter 2 - children and disease  (Page 5/4)

Polio

Polio is a highly contagious, sometimes fatal, viral infection that can produce permanent muscle weakness, paralysis, andother symptoms. Polio is spread by swallowing material such as water contaminated by infected feces. The infection spreads from the intestinethroughout the body, but the brain and the spinal cord are the most affected.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Polio in young children is often mild. Symptoms, which begin 3 to 5 days after infection, include an overall feeling of illness(malaise), a slight fever, headache, a sore throat, and vomiting. The child usually recovers within 24 to 72 hours.

More significant illness is more likely in older children and adults. Symptoms usually appear 7 to 10 days after infectionand include fever, severe headahce, a stiff neck and back, and deep muscle pain. Sometimes areas of skin develop odd sensations, such as pins andneedles or unusually sensitivity to pain. Recovery occurs in 24 to 72 hours. Depending upon the which parts of the brain and spinal cord are affected, thedisease may progress no further, or weakness or paralysis may develop in certain muscles. The person may have difficult in swallowing and may chokeon saliva, food, or fluids. Sometimes fluids go up into the nose, and the voice may develop a nasal quality.

A doctor an diagnose polio from its symptoms. Diagnosis is conirmed by identifying poliovirus in a stool sample anddeteciting high levels of antibodies to the virus in the blood.

Prevention and Treatment

The Polio vaccine is included among the routine childhood immunizations. Two types of vaccines are available: a) aninactivated poliovirus vaccine (Salk vaccine), which is given by injection, and b) a live polio-virus vaccine (Sabin vaccine) taken orally.The live oral vaccine provides better immunity and is usually preferred. It is important to note that, in very rare cases, those with an impaired immunesystem may actually get polio from the vaccine. A good assessment of those about to receive treatment should reveal whether or not people have animpaired immune system, as well as those who are in close contact with such people.

Hepatitis b

Hepatitis B is highly endemic in Africa south of the Sahara. Serological evidence of prior hepatitis B infection is present in70%-90% of the population. The burden of the disease is enormous: mortality from primary cancer of the liver ranks either number one or two among cancerdeaths in males in Africa. Primary cancer of the liver is 100% fatal and kills at an average age of 35-45 years, causing families to lose parents and wageearners at the most productive periods of their lives.

It is estimated that there are about 50,000 deaths from hepatitis B related cirrhosis and about 130,000 deaths from hepatitis Brelated primary liver cancer annually in sub-Saharan Africa.

Hepatitis B vaccine is more than 90% effective in preventing hepatitis B infection of children. Despite the high prevalenceof infection and the enormous burden of disease, only a few African countries use hepatitis B vaccine routinely with other childhood diseasesvaccines.