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Poliovirus

 

            Poliomyelitis is a crippling disease caused by the poliovirus that can affect the entire body, including muscles and nerves (2). The first outbreak of this viral disease was reported in Europe in the early 19th century and later spread to the United States (2). At first, the viral infection commonly infected infants and children, but as years passed, the severity and the average age of the person rose (1). The number of people in the United States with poliomyelitis reached its peak of 21,000 in 1952. The poliomyelitis incidence rates rapidly decreased from the western world following the development of poliovirus vaccines (2). Even though, the virus has been eradicated from North America since 1994, it still exists in underdeveloped nations due to poor water treatment facilities and unhygienic sanitary conditions. Understanding the overall structure, pathogenesis, and virulence of the poliovirus is important in medicine and biotechnology, especially in fields of research in creating vectors for gene therapy and vaccinations.
             Based on its morphology, physiochemical and biologic properties, antigenic structures, genomic sequences and mode of replication, the poliovirus is a member of the subfamily Enterovirus, family Picornavirus (2). Enteroviruses are tolerant of acidic environments and are commonly found inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of humans (2). The poliovirus only grows naturally in humans and chimpanzees (virology) and is prevalent among warm wet climates (virology). The poliovirus rarely attacks the central nervous system; however, if the virus does invade the CNS, it will replicate in the spinal cord and cause paralysis or death. Belonging to the family Picornavirus, the polioviruses are "little RNA viruses" with an icosahedral shape that has 60 copies of structural proteins VP1-VP4 (9). These virions are non-enveloped and their size ranges from 22 to 30nm in diameter, and they lack the presence of a lipid membrane (9).


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