Key result
Between January 2018 and March 2020, wild poliovirus type 1 cases increased to 176 in 2019 in Afghanistan and Pakistan, alongside a growing number of cVDPV2 outbreaks globally.
Why the study?
This report was conducted to summarize progress toward global polio eradication during January 1, 2018-March 31, 2020 and update previous reports.
Observational
Yes
Despite eradication of WPV types 2 and 3, WPV1 transmission continues in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and cVDPV2 outbreaks are increasing, with efforts further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sustained polio surveillance remains essential amid stalled eradication; leaves open optimal post-COVID mitigation strategies.
Since the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was established in 1988, two of the three wild poliovirus (WPV) serotypes (types 2 and 3) have been eradicated.* Transmission of WPV type 1 (WPV1) remains uninterrupted only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This report summarizes progress toward global polio eradication during January 1, 2018-March 31, 2020 and updates previous reports (1,2). In 2019, Afghanistan and Pakistan reported the highest number of WPV1 cases (176) since 2014. During January 1-March 31, 2020 (as of June 19), 54 WPV1 cases were reported, an approximate fourfold increase from 12 cases during the corresponding period in 2019. Paralytic poliomyelitis can also be caused by circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV), which emerges when attenuated oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) virus reverts to neurovirulence following prolonged circulation in underimmunized populations (3). Since the global withdrawal of type 2-containing OPV (OPV2) in April 2016, cVDPV type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreaks have increased in number and geographic extent (4). During January 2018-March 2020, 21 countries reported 547 cVDPV2 cases. Complicating increased poliovirus transmission during 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and mitigation efforts have resulted in suspension of immunization activities and disruptions to poliovirus surveillance. When the COVID-19 emergency subsides, enhanced support will be needed to resume polio eradication field activities.
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Chard et al. (2020) conducted an observational in Poliomyelitis (Wild Poliovirus and Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus). Global Polio Eradication Initiative activities was evaluated on Number of reported WPV1 and cVDPV cases. Between January 2018 and March 2020, wild poliovirus type 1 cases increased to 176 in 2019 in Afghanistan and Pakistan, alongside a growing number of cVDPV2 outbreaks globally.
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