Paralytic Poliomyelitis: The Plague of the 1950s

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on key terms and concepts related to paralytic poliomyelitis and its history, transmission, pathogenesis, and vaccination.

Poliomyelitis

A disease characterized by destruction of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord.

Picornavirus

A viral family referring to small size of virions and RNA, characterized by nonenveloped virions with icosahedral symmetry and a diameter of 30 nm.

Pathogenesis

The process by which a disease develops, including the stages and effects of the poliovirus.

Viremia

The presence of viruses in the blood, which can be 'minor' (asymptomatic) or 'major' (symptomatic) in poliovirus infection.

Major illness symptoms

Symptoms associated with major illness caused by poliovirus include abrupt onset of headache, vomiting, intense muscle pain, and motor weakness.

Spinal Paralytic Poliomyelitis

Weakness of muscles supplied by motor nerves, affecting most skeletal muscles.

Bulbar Paralytic Poliomyelitis

Weakness of muscles supplied by cranial nerves, affecting facial muscles, tongue, swallowing, and respiration.

Prognosis of Paralysis

Most patients with limb paralysis experience some recovery within weeks to months, with residual deficits ranging from minor weakness to permanent paralysis.

Historical Perspective

Descriptions of poliomyelitis-like illness exist from ancient times, including references from Hippocrates and the Bible.

Transmission of poliovirus

Initially believed to spread via respiratory route; later confirmed to be primarily fecal-oral.

Salk Vaccine

A killed vaccine developed by Jonas Salk, found to be effective in a nationwide clinical trial in 1954.

Sabin Vaccine

A live attenuated oral vaccine developed by Albert Sabin, effective in inducing gut immunity without the risk of reversion to wildtype virus.

Acute Flaccid Myelitis

A rare polio-like disease resembling paralytic poliomyelitis, associated with enterovirus D68, and presenting with sudden limb weakness.

Sanitation changes

Improvements in sanitation, such as closed sewage systems, contributed to the loss of natural exposure to poliovirus and subsequent decline in herd immunity.

Herd immunity

The community-level immunity that occurs when a significant portion of a population becomes immune to an infectious disease, reducing its spread.