Vaccination against poliomyelitis (child paralysis)

What is poliomyelitis (poliomyelitis)?

It hides the disease polio, which is caused by poliomyelitis viruses. The viruses are excreted in the stool and transmitted primarily through smear infection (stool-hand-mouth). This can happen if you don't wash your hands or wash them properly after bowel movements. Contaminated drinking water can also be a source of infection.
Around 5% of people infected with the virus have fever, sore throats and headaches - mostly misunderstood as (summer) flu. Every 100th to 1,000th Infected people experience permanent, flaccid paralysis of the arm or leg muscles, and in the worst case also of the speech, swallowing or breathing muscles.
In 2002, the WHO declared all of Europe polio-free. However, polio or polio still occurs in some countries and regions (for example in Afghanistan and Pakistan) and can therefore be introduced back into Germany. It therefore makes sense to get vaccinated.

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Who and when should be vaccinated against childhood vaccinations?

These vaccinations are for every age group and Relevant to everyone, especially for travelers to regions with a high risk of infection.

Basic immunization normally takes place in childhood. After the age of 18, you should be vaccinated against tetanus and diphtheria once in combination with the next booster booster. A routine booster thereafter is recommended for anyone who is at increased risk of infection, such as staff who come into contact with people who may be ill or their bodily waste or travelers to regions where polio infections still occur.

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How is the poliomyelitis vaccination carried out and what needs to be taken into account?

The polio vaccination is an inactivated vaccine and is usually carried out as a combination vaccination. The vaccination is given in your upper arm muscle.

The vaccination is well tolerated. Very often, the stimulation of the body's own immune system causes redness or swelling at the injection site, which can also be painful. Rarely, general symptoms such as a rise in temperature, chills, fatigue, muscle pain or gastrointestinal complaints can occur in the first three days after vaccination. Such vaccination reactions usually subside after one to three days.

Good to know: Polio caused by the vaccination, which occurs in... The live vaccine used in the past occurred in very rare cases (around 1 in 3 million vaccinations), is excluded with today's vaccine.

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What should I do? What to do if I think I need a poliomyelitis vaccination?

To check whether you have vaccination protection, simply make an appointment to check your vaccination status in one of our Avi Medical practices and discuss this with our team of doctors. They will advise you in detail whether you are already protected or whether you should receive a vaccination. The doctors will also check whether there are other vaccinations that would be useful for you and, if necessary, will carry them out directly.