Second Wild Poliovirus Case Confirmed

According to the latest weekly update by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), Afghanistan reported its second wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2024.

This polio patient is from Nuristan province in the eastern part of the country.

Five WPV1-positive environmental samples were reported: four in Nangarhar and one in Kandahar.

As of April 14, 2024, Afghanistan is one of the two countries in the Middle East where WPV1 is still endemic.

The total number of WPV1 cases reported in 2023 remains six.

During 2024, various countries deployed the type 2 novel oral polio (nOPV2) vaccine produced by Indonesia's Biofarma.

This oral polio vaccine (OPV) has been 'triple-locked' using genetic engineering to prevent it from becoming harmful and producing a gut reaction. As a result, nOPV2 is reported to be more genetically stable than approved OPVs, with a lower risk of reversion to neurovirulence and less likely to mutate and cause paralysis.

Over the past two years, about 1.1. billion nOPV2 vaccines have been administrated worldwide. The GPEI says international travelers should speak with a healthcare provider about their polio vaccine options, including booster doses.

The inactivated polio vaccine is offered in the United States at various clinics and pharmacies.