How important is it, now to detect cases of polio early and start adequate treatment for cases of polio that occur today, in order to reduce morbidity and mortality? A case detected early is kept immobilized, using splints, and other measures to relax all muscles. Immediate diagnosis and treatment reduces the morbidity, as in acute flaccid paralysis, bulbar polio, and others. Most infected people (90%) have no symptoms or very mild symptoms and usually go unrecognized. In others, initial symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. What measures would the hospitals employ to: 1.
Identify their own newborns or infants with polio as soon as possible, among cases handled by the hospital in a 1-year period. 2. To immediately treat any case so detected among newborns and infants. 3. Long-term management.
