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Polio

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is an acute illness brought on when one of three types of polio virus (1, 2, and 3) invades the gastro-intestinal tract.  The virus has an affinity for nervous tissue, and can cause paralysis if it reaches the central nervous system. Its incubation period is 3-21 days. Routine immunisation was introduced in 1956, but people born before 1958 may not have been immunised. However, since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, the virus is circulating in only seven countries: Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan and Somalia.

Communicable diseases and blood services

The Communicable Diseases Branch is responsible for developing policy for the surveillance, prevention, and control of communicable diseases; blood supplies and their safety; and the health service response to bioterrorism.

Getting ahead of the curve

Published: 10/01/2002

This sets out an infectious diseases strategy for England. It aims to describe the scope of the threat posed by infectious diseases, as well as establishing the priorities for action to combat the threat.

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