Collection

Polio: guidance, vaccination, data and analysis

The diagnosis, vaccination, management and epidemiology of polio (poliomyelitis).

• From: UK Health Security Agency
• Published: 23 October 2013
• Last updated: 18 July 2023 — See all updates

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious vaccine preventable disease. It is a notifiable disease in England and Wales.

Polio invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours (see acute flaccid paralysis). It can strike at any age but affects mainly children aged under 3 years. Most people infected with the poliovirus have no signs of illness. Symptomless people can spread the infection to thousands of others before the first case of polio paralysis emerges.

See enterovirus infections for further information.

For the latest international news on polio see statements from the World Health Organization (WHO) and news from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNac).

Diagnosis

• Poliomyelitis: indications for serological testing
  • 7 February 2022
  • Guidance
• Enteric virus and polio investigation referral form
  • 28 June 2023
  • Form
• Polio AFP and AFM surveillance: laboratory sample submission
  • 6 July 2023
  • Form

Clinical management

• Polio: national guidelines
  • 26 September 2019
  • Guidance
• Polio: detection of VDPV2 in London sewage samples
  • 14 November 2022
  • Guidance

Data collection

• Acute flaccid paralysis: reporting form
  • 15 November 2022
  • Form

Immunisation programme and resources

Polio is a vaccine-preventable disease. The routine childhood immunisation schedule includes vaccination against polio.

• Polio: the green book, chapter 26
  • 19 April 2013
  • Guidance
• Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) catch-up: information for healthcare practitioners
  • 24 May 2023
  • Guidance
• Polio vaccination campaign letter
  • 10 August 2022
  • Correspondence
• Vaccination strategy for ongoing polio incident: JCVI statement
  • 10 August 2022
  • Independent report

Published 23 October 2013
Last updated 18 July 2023 + show all updates

1. 18 July 2023

   Added 'Acute flaccid paralysis: reporting form'.

2. 6 July 2023

   Added 'Polio AFP and AFM surveillance: laboratory sample submission'.

3. 10 August 2022

   Added 'Polio booster campaign resources', 'Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) booster: information for healthcare practitioners', 'Polio vaccination campaign letter' and 'Vaccination strategy for ongoing polio incident: JCVI statement'.

4. 22 June 2022

   Added 'Polio: detection of VDPV2 in London sewage samples'.

5. 16 June 2022

   Added link to enterovirus collection and updated WHO link.

6. 2 January 2019

   Added links to World Health Organisation and acute flaccid paralysis guidance.

7. 27 June 2017

   Added guidance on the indications polio serological testing.

8. 4 February 2016

   Adding national polio guidelines to collection.

9. 23 October 2013

   First published.