Hey friends! Welcome to this week’s blog on ~polio!~ The question in the title and what you all may be asking is “where is polio? Wasn’t that a 20th century disease?” The answer is yes and no. Polio was super prevalent back in the day but after vaccinations were developed and given to people, polio has been pretty much eradicated…except for in some places who don’t have high vaccination rates. In this blog we will be looking into Pakistan, one of the few places where polio is still prevalent, and see some of the reasons behind this. We will also look into the difference between OPV and IPV when it comes to the polio vaccine. Alright, without further ado (going along with my Shakespeare theme), let’s jump right in!
So basically, there are two types of polio vaccines. One is the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and the other is the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). According to the research done on these polio vaccines, the OPV is made of attenuated strains of the polio virus which is good for building up immunity, but in some cases can lead to the strain becoming harmful again if it is shed and contracted by others. The IPV also has a negative side to it because it is an inactivated form of the polio virus. This means that although the virus is not active, the genome is still there, and this leads people to fear that having large amounts of the virus in vaccines, could be a risk to bio security. Which is scary, because I don’t want anyone messing with the virus or doing harm with it intentionally or not. After the research article states these problems with the current vaccines, they further emphasize the need to make a vaccine that isn’t going to have these adverse effects and that is more cost effective. Research, like the kind that was done in this article, is finding new ways to create a polio vaccine that is safer and cheaper in the long run, especially once polio becomes completely eradicated.
I know that was pretty scary information and science heavy as well, but it is important to know and be educated on it. It is also important to note that there are huge cultural ties when it comes to aversion of the polio vaccine. Specifically in Pakistan, Foreign Policy reports that there are still many cases of polio due to a lack of trust in the vaccine and the people who give them. Many communities in Pakistan have refused to vaccinate their children with the polio vaccine due to beliefs that they will be harmed or sterilized and that this is all orchestrated by the western governments. Honestly, I know this is not a political blog so I won’t say anything too political, but after US intervention in many foreign affairs, I would feel slightly on edge too! This doubt and fear that prevents the Pakistani from getting their children vaccinated is deadly though and needs to be addressed. This has been happening through women of Pakistan and leaders of religious groups coming together to debunk anything that might be holding people back. They want to emphasize that it is safe and okay religiously to get this vaccination and in fact, it can save their children’s lives.
The polio vaccines have proven to be something that needs improvement and that it is important to do so as soon as possible, especially as we near eradication. We still however, are in a time where we need to continue to work to make sure that everyone is protected against polio with what we have available now. Although there are major cultural obstacles that lay in this path, I hope that through the religious leaders and women in the community bringing awareness, that all the children in that area and around the world can be protected. Like I mentioned in my other blogs, I feel strongly that all people who are able should get vaccinated and this is a prime example. Almost all of the rest of the world is polio free due to vaccinations, and the area where there is polio, there is a lack of vaccinations. The health care workers have to be mindful and respectful of cultural wishes, but also emphasize the importance of vaccines, which they are constantly fighting for.
Alright, there you have it, all the recent information on polio and the OPV and IPV. I only skimmed the surface of these topics so please feel free to do the topic more justice and research it some more! Remember, we are still fighting polio today and will keep fighting until it is totally gone, so stay invested in this, it is not just a 20th century disease!! I’ll talk to you guys next week–stay tuned!
Microbiology 