Polioviruses have also been detected in wastewater in Baden-Württemberg. This was announced by the State Ministry of Health and referred to wastewater tests carried out by the Robert Koch Institute. The minister therefore advises that children in particular should be checked whether they have been sufficiently vaccinated against polio.
The viruses discovered in waste water in Stuttgart and elsewhere are a variant that is used in oral vaccinations. Oral polio vaccines contain a special, attenuated live vaccine. These vaccinations are still available in Asia and Africa. Anyone who has been vaccinated in this way can excrete the virus for a while. In Germany, an inactivated active ingredient has been used for a long time, where this is not the case. The detection of viruses in wastewater does not mean that there are cases of polio (poliomyelitis) in Germany. But it does show that people here excrete these viruses and can therefore – theoretically – infect unvaccinated people in their environment. Polio is dangerous, highly contagious and, in the worst case, can lead to permanent paralysis. “It is mainly transmitted via smear infections, but in rare cases also via droplets. The disease can be prevented by polio vaccinations,” says the Ministry of Health in Stuttgart.
Three shots for basic immunization
According to the Federal Center for Health Education, children in Germany are vaccinated against polio at two, four and eleven months of age. This is the so-called basic immunization. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko) recommends a booster vaccination for adolescents. According to the Stiko, anyone who has missed the basic immunization should get it as an adult. However, there is no general vaccination recommendation for adults. However, the vaccination is recommended for anyone traveling to countries where polio still occurs.
info-impfen.de | Polio
tun25012804