Poliomyelitis, epidemiological view with special emphasis to the immunological profile [1980-1989]

The immunization coverage against poliomyelitis by the three doses of the live attenuated trivalent oral poliovaccine [TOPV] reached more than 80% of the eligible children all over Egypt in 1988. This study includes a case series report study to explore the recent trend of the epidemiology of the disease in Egypt from 1980 to 1989 through the recorded data obtained from the Institute of Poliomyelitis in Embaba. The total number of acute paralytic poliomyelitis cases during this period was 9499 with gradual decline in the number of the reported new cases starting from 1983. 83.4% of reported cases occurred below two years of age. A serological study was done to identify the immunological profile among selected groups of the population. Serum neutralization test [SNT] was done for 211 subjects to measure the immune response and detect the susceptible to any of the three viral serotypes from neonatal period to adulthood. Detectable neutralizing antibodies against the 3 poliovirus serotypes were 42.8%, 94.4%, 90% in neonates, infants, children and adults, respectively, with different vaccination status among them. This denotes the importance for earlier vaccination of neonates