Featured Post

Polio virus: 24 photos of 1950s outbreak: Elvis Presley, Diane Sawyer - Insider

  • New York City Health Department officials announced on August 12 that they've identified traces of the poliovirus in the city's sewage system.
  • Since 1979, there have been no cases of wild polio originating in the US, according to the CDC.
  • Before vaccines were made available in 1955, the disease caused 15,000 cases of paralysis each year in the US. 
  • Here's a look back at 25 photos from that time period. 

In the 1950s, cases of poliovirus ravaged the US, with hospitals wards brimming with disabled or severely ill patients, according to the National Library of Medicine.

At the outbreak's peak in 1952, polio infections caused 20,000 cases of paralysis, leaving families with no choice but to isolate in fear, as the disease was once one of the most transmissible diseases among kids. 

In 1955, an effective polio vaccine was introduced by Dr. Jonas Salk, which dramatically reduced infections. The virus was eliminated in the US in 1979, but it can still be brought to the country by travelers, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

On August 12, The New York City Department of Health announced polio had been identified in New York City's sewage system.

Dr. Jay Varma, director of the Center for Pandemic Prevention and Response at Weill Cornell Medicine, previously told Insider that New Yorkers who are vaccinated have nothing to worry about yet, but if you're unvaccinated, you should "rush" to get shots.

She said seeing polio in New York is a "worrisome sign," and "an indication that our public health infrastructure is not as strong as it needs to be to keep Americans safe."

Most people who contract the virus will experience mild symptoms, but infection can lead to paralysis in one out of 200 patients, according to the CDC.

Just the mention of polio in 2022 conjures up images of a 1950s America, with kids lined up to receive vaccines and patients confined to iron lung respirators at the endemic's height.

Here are 25 historic photos illustrating the impact of the disease and the distribution of vaccines.

-

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Preventing, controlling spread of animal diseases focus of forum at Penn State - Pennsylvania State University

Image
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in poultry in 2014-15 resulted in the destruction of more than 50 million chickens and turkeys in the U.S., causing billions of dollars in economic loss. This animal disease outbreak — the worst in U.S. history — is one example of how devastating a foreign animal disease can be to animal agriculture and the country's economy. The resurgence of avian influenza in multiple states, including Pennsylvania, is once again bringing the importance of preventing animal diseases to the forefront, noted Suresh Kuchipudi, clinical professor of microbiology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. Exploring the emergence, spread and control of animal infectious diseases such as avian influenza was the focus of the inaugural Emerging Animal Infectious Disease Conference held Nov. 29-Dec.1, 2021, at Penn State. It was hosted by the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Pennsylvania Department of A
Read more

Model Monday's: Diana Moldovan

Image
dented can botulism :: Article Creator Three Canadians Sickened In France's Botulism Outbreak Are From Quebec: PHAC The Public Health Agency of Canada has confirmed that the three Canadians who fell ill in a botulism outbreak in France are from Quebec. They're among at least 12 people who have suspected botulism after eating sardines prepared and served at Tchin Tchin Wine Bar in Bordeaux, France. The food was eaten between Sept. 4 and Sept. 10. The Associated Press has reported that some patients have been released from hospital, but most of them are in intensive care or critical condition. Canada's public health agency says it cannot divulge the condition of the patients from Quebec because it is considered private health information. Other tourists from the U.S., Ireland, Germany and Spain were among those sickened. One patient, who was not from Canada, has died. France's public health agency is leading the investigation
Read more

“Live Coronavirus Map Used to Spread Malware - Krebs on Security” plus 1 more

Image
“Live Coronavirus Map Used to Spread Malware - Krebs on Security” plus 1 more Live Coronavirus Map Used to Spread Malware - Krebs on Security Posted: 12 Mar 2020 05:12 PM PDT Cybercriminals constantly latch on to news items that captivate the public's attention, but usually they do so by sensationalizing the topic or spreading misinformation about it. Recently, however, cybercrooks have started disseminating real-time, accurate information about global infection rates tied to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic in a bid to infect computers with malicious software. A recent snapshot of the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus data map, available at coronavirus.jhu.edu. In one scheme, an interactive dashboard of Coronavirus infections and deaths produced by Johns Hopkins University is being used in malicious Web sites (and possibly spam emails) to spread password-stealing malware. Late last month, a member of several Russian language cybercr
Read more