Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease, which mainly affects young children below age of 5.

• The virus is transmitted from person-to-person. It mainly spreads through the faecal-oral route (e.g. contaminated water or food).
• After entering body, it multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
• Its initial symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs.

In some cases, it causes permanent paralysis. There is no cure for polio, however it can only be prevented by immunization. Polio vaccine is given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life.