Health officials are now concerned about the spread of the virus in the community following the collection of samples from the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works in London, but stressed that the risk to the public is extremely low. Several closely related polio viruses were found in wastewater samples taken between February and May. It has continued to evolve and is now classified as a “vaccine-derived” type 2 polio virus (VDPV2). Officials believe there has been some outbreak among closely linked people in north-east London – possibly extended family members – and that these people are now passing the strain of polio virus 2 into their feces. Urgent investigations will try to determine the extent of transmission in the community and identify where it may occur. What is polio, have people in the UK been vaccinated against it and what is the risk to the public? Dr Vanessa Saliba, an epidemiological consultant at UKHSA, said: “Vaccine-borne polio virus is rare and the risk to the general public is extremely low. “Vaccine-borne polio virus can spread, especially in communities where vaccine intake is low. In rare cases it can cause paralysis in people who are not fully vaccinated, so if you or your child are not It is important to contact your doctor to prevent or, if you are not sure, check your red book. “Most of the UK population will be protected from childhood vaccination, but in some communities with low vaccine coverage, people may still be at risk. “We are urgently investigating to better understand the extent of this transmission and the NHS has been asked to quickly report any suspected cases to the UKHSA, although no cases have been reported or confirmed so far.” Image: Several closely related viruses were found between February and May It is possible that the virus was transmitted by someone who was recently vaccinated against polio in a country that has not yet been eradicated, such as Pakistan, Afghanistan or Nigeria. So far the virus has only been detected in sewage samples and no cases of paralysis have been reported. It is normal for one to three “vaccine-like” polio viruses to be detected each year in wastewater samples in the UK, but these have always been isolated findings that are unrelated and then disappear. It is the first time the same virus has been detected a few months since the last case in 1984. These previous scans occurred when a person who was vaccinated abroad with the live polio vaccine (OPV) returned or traveled to the United Kingdom and for a short time “discovered” traces of the polio virus that resembled a vaccine-like polio virus. The virus poses a risk to anyone who has not been vaccinated, especially children and young adults. National absorption of the childhood polio vaccine is high, but rates are much lower in London. The initial course of polio vaccine is given to babies at two, three and four months. Three installments are required to complete the initial course. In the United Kingdom it is given as part of the six in one vaccine. In the United Kingdom, when children reach the age of two, almost 95% of them will have been vaccinated three times. In London, where the virus has been detected, the number drops just under 90%. Over the past five to ten years, health officials say they have seen a slow and steady decline in the adoption of the child vaccination program. Vaccine coverage for preschool souvenirs, offered to children when they turn three, is 71% in London. It’s about the same rate for teens helping kids in their ninth grade. Jane Clegg, chief NHS nurse in London, said: are informed of their polio vaccinations to call for protection. “In the meantime, parents can also check their child’s vaccination status in their red book and people should contact their doctor to book a vaccination if they or their child is not fully informed.” The polio virus can infect a person’s spinal cord and nerves at the base of the brain, causing paralysis and in more extreme cases can be life threatening. But most people with polio will have no symptoms and will fight the infection without even realizing they are infected. A small number of people will develop a flu-like illness three to 21 days after infection. It is easily transmitted from person to person mainly through the fecal-oral route, when an infected person does not wash their hands properly after using the toilet and then touches food / water eaten by others – and, more rarely, through coughing and sneezing. . The virus multiplies in the gut and infected people secrete large amounts of the virus in their feces. The Beckton London Sewage Works has a catchment area of over four million people and this is a major challenge for healthcare professionals. If more virus samples are detected, the emergency could escalate to the next level, where targeted interventions will be made – including small batch vaccinations and the collection of stool samples from areas where the polio virus has been detected.
