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Does polio still exist?
In Australia, the last two epidemics were in 1956 and 1961 to 1962. Following the introduction of polio vaccine in the 1950s, the last case of locally acquired polio in Australia was in 1972. Australia was declared polio free in 2000.
However, polio does still exist in other parts of the world and cases continue to be reported in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. However, reported cases of polio have been dramatically reduced worldwide through an intensified Global Polio Eradication Initiative by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As polio could still be contracted and imported from overseas, the Australian Government recommends that children are routinely vaccinated at 2, 4 and 6 months and 4 years of age, and boosters are given to adults at higher risk of exposure e.g. travelling to countries where polio is considered a risk.
What are the symptoms of cholera?
In most cases), people infected with cholera show no signs or symptoms of the disease, but the infected person can still remain infectious to others. Symptoms may appear quickly, in as little as 12 hours after initial exposure to the bacterium, or may appear up to five days later.
Symptoms of severe cholera include:
- sudden onset of painless, but severe, watery diarrhoea
- nausea and vomiting (early in the illness)
- severe dehydration (as a result of rapid fluid loss)
In severe untreated cases, death may occur within hours, but with simple treatment, full recovery can be expected.