Poliomyelitis eradication is the process of eliminating the poliovirus worldwide. The word "poliomyelitis" is spelled /ˌpoʊlioʊmaɪəˈlaɪtɪs/ in IPA phonetic transcription. It is derived from Greek words "polios" meaning grey, "myelos" meaning marrow, and "itis" meaning inflammation. The spelling reflects the pronounced vowels, while the consonants denote the precise sounds that make up the word. Eradication, on the other hand, is spelled according to its phonetic components. This word is a combination of "eradicate" and "-ion," making it easy to understand and pronounce.
Poliomyelitis eradication is a medical and public health term that refers to the complete and permanent elimination of the poliovirus from the entire world, effectively eradicating the disease known as poliomyelitis. Poliomyelitis, also commonly known as polio, is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the poliovirus and primarily affects the nervous system, often leading to paralysis, muscle weakness, and in severe cases, even death.
Poliomyelitis eradication efforts involve implementing comprehensive strategies to prevent the transmission of the poliovirus, primarily through widespread vaccination campaigns using an effective and safe vaccine. This typically involves administering multiple doses of the polio vaccine to infants and children to ensure immunity against the disease. Furthermore, surveillance systems are set up to monitor and detect any remaining polio cases to enable prompt response and containment measures.
The goal of poliomyelitis eradication is to completely interrupt the transmission of the poliovirus and ensure that it does not re-emerge anywhere in the world. Achieving eradication would mean that no cases of polio would occur, and no human would be at risk of contracting or transmitting the virus. Once polio is eradicated, routine vaccination may no longer be necessary, leading to significant cost savings and a reduction in the overall burden of global health expenditure.
The global polio eradication initiative, led by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), national governments, and partner institutions, aims to reach every child with polio vaccination, strengthen surveillance systems, engage communities, and ensure high-quality immunization campaigns.
The term "poliomyelitis eradication" can be broken down into two parts: "poliomyelitis" and "eradication".
- Poliomyelitis: The word "poliomyelitis" comes from the Greek roots "polio" meaning "grey" and "myelos" meaning "marrow" or "spinal cord". The disease was named as such because it primarily affects the spinal cord, causing paralysis.
- Eradication: The word "eradication" comes from the Latin word "eradicare", which combines "e" meaning "out" and "radix" meaning "root". Therefore, eradication means "to uproot" or "to remove completely".
Combined, "poliomyelitis eradication" refers to the action of completely removing or eliminating poliomyelitis from a population or geographical area.