Ukraine Children Hit with Polio Outbreak

For over five years Europe has seemingly cleansed its population of polio. However early this month the Ukraine was shaken by the first outbreak in half a decade, with two young children falling victim to the infectious disease. One was just four years old while the other was just ten months. Both began exhibiting symptoms of paralysis and while doctors are doing everything they can to help the pair, the outlook is not looking good.

In Ukraine, the risk of contracting polio is heightened due to the fact that vaccine coverage is not readily available. South-western Ukraine’s Zakarpatskaya oblast region was the location of the outbreak, with other small, remote and underdeveloped cities, towns and villages also at risk.

Oliver Rosenbauer, a member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO) explains, "50% of children are inadequately vaccinated, and they're now at risk of contracting this disease, and that's why it's very critical to rapidly and fully implement an outbreak response in the country.”

A rapid response from WHO

In the wake of the outbreak the organisation is currently rolling out a rapid outbreak response that involves vaccinating millions of children across the country. As there is no known cure for polio vaccinations are key, and Ukraine inoculation rates simply aren’t up to par. Doctors will be issuing oral polio vaccines (OPV), a formula that is essentially a weakened form of the polio virus. During the six to eight weeks following the vaccine the virus is excreted however is unable to infect people given its mitigated state.

Rosenbauer explains that rapid vaccination schemes should always be tailored to the specific country of interest, but that the basic principle is always the same. "At its core, you need to vaccinate a lot of children, several times. And urgently,” he says.

Containing the risk of a European outbreak

One of the biggest concerns doctors have is the danger of the virus crossing borders and infiltrating other countries with low vaccination rates.  Thankfully, Rosenbauer is confident that this is not an immediate concern as neighbouring countries such as Poland enforce relatively strict vaccination policies as well as vigilant border control.

"The chances, I think, are relatively low that it travels internationally, or would cause outbreaks internationally, but I would not rule it out," Rosenbauer concluded.

Infectious diseases can be hugely threatening to the human species. In Brazil, scientists at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro are currently testing Rio waters in preparation for the 2016 Olympics. ‘Advanced Rio Lab Warns of Olympic Water Quality Danger’ looks at the techniques they’re using to monitor parameters such as ammonia, nitrates, phosphates and of course, water borne diseases.