tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post4605707211647025321..comments2024-03-24T05:50:07.033-07:00Comments on Biologizing: A World Without Polio?Peter Houlihanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-92195594018936889652011-02-13T16:24:12.095-08:002011-02-13T16:24:12.095-08:00The article is a bit scarce on the reasons as to w...The article is a bit scarce on the reasons as to why Polio has seen such a sharp decline in popularity. This prompted me to look around for some information regarding that.<br /><br />The polio virus is not airborne, it is spread oral-oral contact or fecal-oral contact, which means that it is spread through close contact or the eating/drinking of contaminated substances. Because of this polio is contracted between people. And thus, there needs to first be an infected individual in order for it to spread through the general population. Through means of mass-immunization it is possible to restrict polio to only a small number of carriers who haven't be immunized. This explains why there is such a small number of cases now that we have a viable vaccine for it. And as long as people continue to be immunized, makes the risk of a resurgence of polio very small. As to the 100% extermination, it seems reasonable to expect there will always be a few secluded cases. But as long as the general public is immune, then those cases can be managed to effectively provide 100%, while in reality it will be 99.some absurd decimal%.<br /><br />-Phillip HuntAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-52775614307576698862011-02-12T15:14:39.706-08:002011-02-12T15:14:39.706-08:00It's good that the article mentions smallpox f...It's good that the article mentions smallpox for comparison. I think the article is correct and perhaps even understating the possible difficulties in trying to exterminate 100% of the poliovirus. Smallpox was extremely virulent and deadly, which made it relatively easy to track down. And, since it mostly killed its carriers, the actual host populations went down dramatically once extermination efforts commenced. With Polio none of these advantages are in place. Having silent carriers that show no symptoms is a huge detriment to the project, and makes me question whether achieving 100% extermination is even possible, let alone doable within the next year.<br /><br />Posted by Derrick XuAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-8636103747926216052011-02-11T20:59:37.182-08:002011-02-11T20:59:37.182-08:00I feel like there is not enough reasoning to why P...I feel like there is not enough reasoning to why Polio is not longer a prominent virus. What has caused the natural decline in its popularity, or where is the evidence to prove that it will not become a problem later in the next fifty years? Smallpox hasn't necessarily been eliminated, there are still very rare cases that occur. How can we group smallpox and polio together when there has never been a cure for either, both diseases simply declined in popularity.Liz Stanglenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-57799274357526600622011-02-11T20:38:45.949-08:002011-02-11T20:38:45.949-08:00This is a great article! More positives coming fro...This is a great article! More positives coming from the scientific world. I was one of the people who thought Polio was extinct. If I were to guess where Polio was still present, I would have guessed parts of Africa, not mostly in the Middle East. On a side note, I feel it is remarkably unselfish for Bill and Melinda Gates to contribute so much money for a world cause. It is a great feat of man-kind to conquer a virus that had previously taken countless lives.<br /><br />Posted by Reed AllenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com