Poliovirus

By: Ben Strozyk

Poliovirus Causes poliomyelitis (aka polio) or infantile

paralysis

Discovery In 1909 by Karl Landsteiner and Erwin Popper

(his assistant)

Type of Genetic Material Positive-sense single-stranded RNA From the enterovirus family

spreads quickly and attacks nervous system

Specific Structural Information Only has a non-enveloped icosahedral protein

coat

Types of Polio Subclinical poliomyelitis (95% of all cases)

General discomfort or uneasiness (malaise) Headache Red throat Slight fever Sore throat Vomiting

Types of Polio Paralytic Poliomyelitis

Fever (early) Constipation Breathing/ Swallowing difficulty Muscle spasms (calf, neck, or back) Muscle pain Muscle weakness

Transmission Direct human to human contact

Infected feces or mucus/phlegm

Polio Incidences Cases in U. S.

1952 - 60,000 cases and 3,000 deaths (peak)

People Affected by Polio The greatest risk of contracting it is in India

and Western/Central Africa

Mostly likely to Effect…. Children, pregnant women, and the elderly

In the summer and in the fall when fall arrives

Vaccines inactivated poliovaccine (IPV)

Created by Jonas Salk (1952)

oral polio vaccine (OPV) Created by Albert Sabin (1957) weakened virus

90% effective overall

Sources http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/

PMH0002375/ http://www.ehow.com/facts_5031409_type-

virus-polio.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliovirus http://www.dhpe.org/infect/polio.html