Question 1

which pathogen causes polio?

Accepted Answer

Poliovirus: Polio is caused by a virus called poliovirus.  This is an RNA virus and colonized the gastrointestinal tract (mouth to intestines).

Question 2

why does polio cause such pain?

Accepted Answer

Poliomyelitis: Acute poliovirus infection causing paralysis does not cause muscle pain but significant pain may occur with the post-polio syndrome which happens years after with deterioration of the nervous pathways to the muscles affected in acute disease.

Question 3

how can polio cause respiratory problems at the cellular level?

Accepted Answer

Muscle paralysis: By destroying anterior horn cell nerve transmission, it may paralyze the respiratory muscles so the affected individual cannot breath in air.

Question 4

can the pain/weakness caused by post polio syndrome be eradicated?

Accepted Answer

Unclear: Post-polio syndrome has be contraversial for yrs, and many people with that label have been found to have arthritis or other problems.  If this is, in fact, resurrection of latent polio virus or an additional attack on the motor neuron cell, we have no cure available, but do have some symptomatic relief.

Question 5

what is polio?
who gets polio?
what causes polio?
what are the symptoms of polio?
is there a treatment or cure for polio?

Accepted Answer

Poliomyelitis : Is a viral infection of humans that in about 1 in 100 infections will cause a febrile illness with asymmetrical weakness of muscles that if affecting the respiratory muscles may require respiratory support. In the heyday of the disease, in the 1940s and 50s, many children were placed in the old "iron lungs". There is no treatment but vaccination has basically eradicated it in the developed world.

Question 6

can having polio that has affected the left side as a kid affect the conective tissue or cause the aorta to fail or make the tissue weak ?

Accepted Answer

Not directly: It should not affect your aorta.

Question 7

can strep cause polio?

Accepted Answer

Not known to science: As far as i can tell, there is no relationship between strep and polio--strep is an infection caused by bacteria which can affect heart (rheumatic fever), but has been shown to cause "polio-syndrome"
polio syndrome is caused by poliovirus which infects/affects the spinal cord with damage resulting in neurologic deficit. America was declared as natural polio-free in 1994. Have fun learning.

Question 8

what causes "post-polio syndrome"?

Accepted Answer

Polio + aging: Post-polio syndrome results in spinal motor neurons (those that supply voluntary muscles) which were affected often decades earlier by polio virus to degenerate & stop functioning normally. Theory is that the neuron is weakened & now succumbing to continuing muscle use which overtaxes the neuron metabolism. Reduced activity is the only remedy but won't reverse damage already done.

Question 9

what is pulse polio? what causes of pulse polio?

Accepted Answer

Post, not pulse: Weakness and sometimes pain in muscles affected by poliomyelitis decades before.

Question 10

what causes muscle weakness in polio?

Accepted Answer

See below: The polio virus attacks the nerves in the spinal cord that supply the muscles. Called motor nerves. Polio does not affect the nerves that deal with sensation. When the nerves die due to the polio virus, the muscles tend to wither and that is what causes the weakness. Post polio syndrome can occur 30-40 years later with new symptoms of weakness and fatigue. It is not a reactivation of the virus.

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Doctor answers about:

What type of pathogen causes polio

A member asked:

Which pathogen causes polio?

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Why does polio cause such pain?

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How can polio cause respiratory problems at the cellular level?

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Can the pain/weakness caused by post polio syndrome be eradicated?

A member asked:

What is polio? who gets polio? what causes polio? what are the symptoms of polio? is there a treatment or cure for polio?

A member asked:

Can having polio that has affected the left side as a kid affect the conective tissue or cause the aorta to fail or make the tissue weak ?

A member asked:

Can strep cause polio?

A member asked:

What causes "post-polio syndrome"?

A member asked:

What is pulse polio? what causes of pulse polio?

A member asked:

What causes muscle weakness in polio?

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