Originally published October 14 2005
Oral polio vaccine has proven more effective in protecting children
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Northern Nigeria, according to world health experts, will prove the most difficult place to eradicate polio, though a new oral vaccine and improved strategies make that goal seem attainable by the end of 2006.
Although new polio cases across Africa and Asia have leapt this year, world health officials yesterday said they expect to stamp out polio in all countries except Nigeria within six months, thanks to a more effective vaccine and new immunization strategies.
"There will not be a new target set for eradication of polio," said Dr. Bruce Aylward, global coordinator of the Polio Eradication Initiative.
A recently developed oral vaccine is doing a better job protecting children against further transmission, said Dr. Steve Cochi, chairman of the Advisory Committee on Polio Eradication, an independent, technical oversight body of the initiative.
"The results have been remarkable," he said about its effectiveness in squelching transmission in India and Egypt, two countries that had been unable to stop the spread of the virus.
Egypt had its last reported case in January.
"The recommendation is that this vaccine should become the workhorse of the final mop-up stage of this final eradication effort."
The group includes the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF.
"The effectiveness of the new monovalent oral polio vaccine has far exceeded our expectations," said Lou Piconi of Upper St. Clair, the co-chairman for Rotary International's PolioPlus partners.
Up until recently, the oral Sabin vaccine included three types of live-attenuated polioviruses that gave protection against all three types of wild poliovirus that cause the disease -- Types 1, 2 and 3.
But there has not been a case of Type 2 in the world since October 1999; Type 3 is on the verge of being eliminated and exists mostly in northern Nigeria.
Among other recommendations to stamp out the final cases of polio, the advisory committee urges quicker response when a case is reported, particularly in an otherwise polio-free country.
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