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Polio Directory
Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious viral disease passed from person to person. It invades the nervous system and can paralyze a person within hours. Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, and neck stiffness. Polio mainly affects children under 3. Before the polio vaccine was introduced in 1955, tens of thousands of U.S. children per year developed paralytic polio. Only the inactive polio vaccine (IPV), made from dead polio virus, is used in the U.S. Starting at 2 months of age, all U.S. children receive four doses of IPV. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage of polio, its history, the risk it poses, preventive vaccines, and much more.
Medical Reference
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Polio Vaccine (IPV): When to Get Vaccinated
WebMD explains why the polio vaccine (IPV) is important, who should get it and when, and possible risks and side effects.
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Vaccines for Preteens and Teens
Find out what vaccinations are recommended for your preteen and teenager..
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Vaccine Information Statements-Vaccine Basics
Vaccines help prevent people from getting sick. There are many kinds of vaccines. Each vaccine is made up of parts of weakened or killed bacteria or viruses of a specific disease. After you have a vaccine, your body's immune system makes antibodies to fight the disease. If you are exposed to the same disease in the future, the antibodies kill the bacteria or viruses before they have a chance to ..
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Post Polio Syndrome
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a syndrome that affects some people who have had polio (poliomyelitis) and occurs many years (typically from 10 to 40 years) after recovery from the initial infection. It is characterized by the development of progressive weakness in muscles that were affected by the original polio infection. In addition,those affected may experience extreme fatigue and joint pain. ...
Features
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Child Vaccines: Some Parents Ill at Ease
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Get an 'A' in Vaccines
Vaccines have proved so successful in eliminating their target diseases that some parents of school-aged children have gotten a bit lax about completing the complicated battery of injections.
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