Few Americans remember when polio-stricken children relied on 7-foot-long iron cylinders to breathe.
At its peak in early 1950s, polio caused more than 15,000 cases of paralysis a year and over 3,000 deaths in the U.S. alone. In the decades that followed, a massive vaccination campaign nearly eradicated the disease from the globe. Now, a perfect storm of factors has made polio a threat once again. Eliminating the virus is still possible, but only if global leaders shake off their complacency.
Polio is a highly contagious, sometimes debilitating disease that primarily affects children under five. It passes from feces to the mouth via unwashed hands or contaminated food or drink. While most cases are asymptomatic or cause symptoms similar to the common flu, permanent paralysis is possible. Polio can be fatal when breathing muscles stop working.
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