What is polio and Post Polio Syndrome?
Poliomyelitis – often called polio – is an acute viral infectious disease that can be spread between people.
Although major polio epidemics were unknown before the late 19th century, polio was one of the most dreaded childhood diseases of the 20th century
Between the 1930s and 1960s, approximately 70,000 Australians contracted polio. Most people recovered from polio with varying side effects and still lead active lives.
However, thousands of people now aged between 50 -80+ are experiencing what is called the Late Effects of Polio or Post Polio Syndrome.
Post Polio Syndrome is a set of unexpected new symptoms occurring some 15–40 years after the initial infection.
Symptoms are varied but include muscle weakness, muscle and / or joint pain, unaccustomed fatigue, sleep, breathing or swallowing difficulties, increased sensitivity to cold temperatures and a 10 year decline in the ability to perform basic daily activities compared to others of the same age.
What is now believed to be happening is that those compensatory nerves are dying as the result of over use of muscles and joints and a return for many elderly people with polio to the wheelchairs, calipers and walking canes that many had long discarded.
Many post polio sufferers are now experiencing considerable pain as the result of this deterioration.
As the population ages, the numbers of people with Post Polio Syndrome and the Late Effects of Polio continues to increase.
For more polio or Post Polio Syndrome information, the following resources may be of assistance:
• Queensland Health’s PPS and LEOP information for GPs
