Polio eradication - how near?
Article Abstract:
A concentrated international effort is underway to completely eradicate polio by the year 2000. The current focus is on Africa, where over 40 countries still report polio cases or cannot confirm that polio has been eradicated. The World Health Organization's Regional Office in the Congo is helping organize national immunization days in 24 African countries as well as improving surveillance laboratories. National immunization days, during which health workers vaccinate as many children as possible, have been very successful in India and China. Immunization rates against polio in the US have reached the highest levels ever recorded. Technology should improve the ability of US physicians to track the immunization status of all preschool children. The US may consider changing its polio immunization schedule and switch from the oral live polio vaccine to an inactivated version.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1996
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Preventive medicine and public health
Article Abstract:
While some infectious diseases are coming under control, emerging infections such as Hantavirus, Cyclospora and Ebola are causing concern. Violence in society has now become a serious public health problem. Approaches to the control of gun use are being set forth. The health of children is improving, but the gap between the rich and poor is widening and the resulting poverty is affecting children's lives. Global public health problems must be solved to provide a healthy future for children. Government support is necessary to finance the monitoring of population health and to provide treatments. Dracunculiasis has nearly been eradicated, and polio may follow within the next five years.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1995
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Status of the global laboratory network for poliomyelitis eradication, 1994-1996
Article Abstract:
The desire to eliminate poliovirus depends on a global system of laboratories that can identify the virus in tissue samples. The World Health Organization's Global Laboratory Network consists of 67 national labs, 14 regional reference labs, and six specialized reference labs. These labs must meet accreditation standards by the end of 1997. Recent tests indicate that many of the national labs were able to identify a single virus strain but had difficulty when the sample contained more than one strain of virus. However, such samples would then be sent to the regional labs, which have a better track record in processing these samples.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1997
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