What should you know about polio?

Many infections cause no clear symptoms or produce a short illness with fever, tiredness, headache, nausea or sore throat. A smaller group develops symptoms affecting the nervous system, such as severe muscle pain, stiffness or weakness. Weakness may affect an arm, leg or the muscles used for breathing and swallowing.

Polio spreads mainly through contaminated hands, food or water and can pass between people before illness is recognised. A suspected infection needs medical assessment and specific testing. Other illnesses can also cause weakness, so symptoms require professional evaluation rather than self-diagnosis.

Seek medical advice promptly after possible exposure, especially if fever is followed by new weakness, difficulty walking or trouble swallowing. Tell the clinician about travel, contact with an unwell person and vaccination history. Do not share personal items, and follow infection-control advice while assessment is arranged.

Prevention relies on vaccination and good hand hygiene. Review routine records with a healthcare professional and ask whether Childhood Immunisation is up to date, particularly before travel or when records are incomplete.

New weakness, loss of movement, severe neck or back stiffness, trouble breathing or difficulty swallowing is an emergency. Call emergency services immediately if breathing is affected or weakness is rapidly worsening. A child with sudden difficulty walking also needs urgent assessment.

Ask whether symptoms require urgent testing, what exposure precautions to follow, and whether household contacts need advice. Check which vaccine doses are documented, whether any are missing, and whether travel plans change the vaccination conversation.