polio

noun

po·​lio ˈpō-lē-ˌō 

: an infectious disease especially of young children that is caused by the poliovirus

Note: Individuals infected with the poliovirus are often asymptomatic. In approximately 25% of cases, polio presents as a mild to moderate illness marked by headache, fever, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. Polio affects the central nervous system only infrequently with inflammation and sometimes destruction of the motor neurons in the gray matter of the spinal cord and brain stem. Central nervous system involvement results in temporary or permanent muscle weakness or motor paralysis especially of the limbs and typically the legs. Polio may become life-threatening when paralysis affects the muscles involved in breathing and swallowing.

And the dreaded disease polio was virtually eliminated in 1955 when the Salk vaccine was approved for public use.

—Mary Beth Norton et al.

The longstanding quest to eradicate polio is attracting a new injection of funds from donors around the world, as health leaders grapple with obstacles from ridding conflict areas of the virus to a shortage of vaccine.

—Betsy McKay

called also infantile paralysis, poliomyelitis

see post-polio syndrome

polio-like

ˈpō-lē-ˌō-ˌlīk 

adjective

or poliolike

a polio-like disease

polio-like paralysis

Examples of polio in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Route 78 Rotary, a regional Hispanic Club, is a member of Rotary International and promotes programs including youth leadership, scholarships, music, medical and dental clinics, food distribution and polio eradication. —The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024

Yet, DeFord Bailey continued to break barriers, particularly with his harmonica playing that mimicked the sound of trains, a technique that came from his childhood battles with polio after being diagnosed with the disease at the age of 3. —David Begnaud, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2024

Yes, there have only been 12 cases of wild polio reported in 2023. —Helen Branswell, STAT, 22 Dec. 2023

Most Americans learn as schoolchildren that Jonas Salk was the genius behind the invention of the polio vaccine. —Alicia Ault, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024

Paul developed polio in the summer of 1952 at the age of 6 and was paralyzed from the neck down. —Alexandra Banner, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024

But the toll of living in an iron lung with polio did not stop Mr. Alexander from going to college, getting a law degree and practicing law for more than 30 years. —Jesus Jiménez, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024

But there would not have been a Salk vaccine without the work of Isabel Morgan, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University who discovered three subtypes of the virus and helped develop an experimental vaccine that protected monkeys against polio. —Alicia Ault, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024

Other diseases that are rare in the U.S., like polio, are still claiming victims. —Paul Law, STAT, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

short for poliomyelitis

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing polio

• post-polio syndrome
• polio virus

Kids Definition

polio

noun

po·​lio ˈpō-lē-ˌō 

: poliomyelitis

Medical Definition

polio

noun

po·​lio ˈpō-lē-ˌō 

: an infectious disease especially of young children that is caused by the poliovirus

Note: Individuals infected with the poliovirus are often asymptomatic. In approximately 25% of cases, polio presents as a mild to moderate illness marked by headache, fever, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. Polio affects the central nervous system only infrequently with inflammation and sometimes destruction of the motor neurons in the gray matter of the spinal cord and brain stem. Central nervous system involvement results in temporary or permanent muscle weakness or flaccid paralysis of muscles especially of the limbs and typically the legs. Polio may become life-threatening when paralysis affects the muscles involved in breathing and swallowing.

Thanks to the Salk and Sabin vaccines, the specter of crippling polio that once made summers an apprehensive time for Americans has long since passed.

—People Weekly

While the last case of naturally occurring polio in the United States was in 1979, the disease remains prevalent in other areas of the world.

—Evan Johnson, The Addison County (Vermont) Independent

called also infantile paralysis, poliomyelitis

see post-polio syndrome