What should you know about effects of polio disease?

Many infections cause few or no obvious symptoms, while others cause a flu-like illness with fever, tiredness, headache, vomiting or muscle discomfort. In a smaller group, the virus attacks nerve cells that control muscles. Weakness may begin suddenly and can affect one or more limbs.

If muscles used for breathing or swallowing are affected, the illness can become life-threatening. Weakness may leave lasting disability. New weakness is not specific to polio and has several possible causes, so it needs urgent medical assessment rather than self-diagnosis.

Seek urgent medical advice for sudden weakness, difficulty walking, trouble swallowing or breathing, or marked neck stiffness. Tell the clinician about recent travel, possible exposure and vaccination history. Avoid close contact while an infectious illness is being assessed, and follow local public-health guidance.

Prevention depends on vaccination and community protection. Check that children receive their scheduled childhood immunisation and ask a healthcare professional whether catch-up doses are needed.

Call emergency services for breathing difficulty, choking, inability to swallow saliva, rapidly worsening weakness, or loss of consciousness. Prompt assessment is also needed for sudden limb weakness, especially when it follows fever or a recent gastrointestinal illness.

Ask whether symptoms need emergency assessment, which tests may identify the cause of weakness, whether household contacts need advice, and whether vaccination records show any missed childhood immunisation.