Despite significant progress in eliminating polio, wild poliovirus persists in a small number of Asian and African countries. It is essential to ensure high levels of immunity in U.S. children to prevent outbreaks in case the virus is imported here.
In a new policy statement, “Poliovirus,” published in the October 2011 issue of Pediatrics (published online Sept. 26), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides updated guidance on using several combination vaccines containing inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), including the appropriate intervals between doses, immunization before travel to a country where polio is endemic, vaccination of immunocompromised children, and vaccination of adults at risk of exposure.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics, USA