Polio Confirmed in Indigenous Peruvian Boy

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) recently confirmed 35 countries with poliovirus outbreaks. Unfortunately, these countries with outbreaks have eliminated indigenous wild poliovirus.

But, they are experiencing reinfection through importing wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus from another country or the emergence and circulation of vaccine-derived poliovirus, says the GPEI.

Since the last Epidemiological Update on polio, published by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on January 19, 2023,  the Peru IHR National Focal Point notified the PAHO/ World Health Organization of a confirmed case of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 on March 21, 2023.

The case is a 16-month-old male belonging to an indigenous community in the Manseriche district in the Datem del Marañón province of the Loreto department, with no vaccination history.

The young boy was in stable condition, although continuing to present paralysis in the lower limbs, and following the parents' request, the patient was voluntarily discharged.

In 2022, there were no cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in the Manseriche district. 

However, 8 Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases were reported in the 18-60 age group.

In 2023, one case was reported in a 50-year-old adult.

Polio third-dose vaccination coverage in Peru was in 2020 (71%) and in 2021 (78%).

Of the 1,874 districts of the country, 840 (45%) report coverage with Polio3 <80%, reported the PAHO on March 23, 2023.

The U.S. CDC recently updated its Alert, Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions Global polio outbreak notice to notify international travelers.

The CDC suggests that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of a polio vaccine before visiting countries reporting poliovirus or AFP cases, such as Israel.

Various polio vaccines are generally available at Texas health clinics and community pharmacies.

Furthermore, several South American countries were included in the CDC's latest dengue outbreak alert.