Inactivated polio vaccine will need to replace oral polio vaccine to sustain eradication, prompting new research to address uncertainties about IPV's ability to induce intestinal immunity.
The transition from OPV to IPV is necessary for sustaining polio eradication, but requires addressing knowledge gaps regarding IPV's intestinal immunity.
Live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV) and inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) are the tools being used to achieve eradication of wild polio virus. Because OPV can rarely cause paralysis and generate revertant polio strains, IPV will have to replace OPV after eradication of wild polio virus is certified to sustain eradication of all polioviruses. However, uncertainties remain related to IPV's ability to induce intestinal immunity in populations where fecal-oral transmission is predominant. Although substantial effectiveness and safety data exist on the use and delivery of OPV and IPV, several new research initiatives are currently underway to fill specific knowledge gaps to inform future vaccination policies that would assure polio is eradicated and eradication is maintained.
Bandyopadhyay et al. (Tue,) conducted a review in Polio. Polio Vaccination (OPV and IPV) was evaluated. Inactivated polio vaccine will need to replace oral polio vaccine to sustain eradication, prompting new research to address uncertainties about IPV's ability to induce intestinal immunity.