Polio epidemic in London, under-10 booster campaign launched – health agency

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain has launched a polio vaccine booster campaign for children under 10 in London after confirming the virus was spreading in London for the first time since the 1980s.

The UK Health Security Agency has identified 116 polioviruses in 19 sewage samples in London this year. The alert was first issued in June when the virus was found in a sample of sewage.read more

Levels and genetic diversity of the poliovirus found since then indicate that transmission is occurring in many boroughs of London, officials said Wednesday.

No cases have been identified yet, but ahead of a possible outbreak, GPs will invite children aged 1-9 to booster vaccines, in addition to a broader catch-up campaign already announced. Immunization coverage across London varies, but on average is below the 95% coverage that the World Health Organization suggests is necessary to maintain polio control.

Spread primarily through faecal contamination, polio kills and paralyzes thousands of children worldwide each year. Although there is no cure, vaccination has brought the world closer to the end of wild or naturally occurring diseases. Less than 1% of her infected children become paralyzed.

The virus found in London sewage is primarily a vaccine-like virus, detected when children who have been vaccinated with a specific type of live vaccine currently only used abroad excrete the virus in their faeces. This harmless virus can be transmitted among unvaccinated children, and while doing so, it can mutate into a more dangerous version of the virus and cause illness.

Last month, the United States discovered a case of unvaccinated paralytic polio in a New York suburb. This is his first time in ten years. UKHSA said the case was genetically related to the virus seen in London.read more

The UK is also expanding polio surveillance to other locations outside of London to see if the virus is spreading further. Even though infection rates are below optimal levels to prevent spread, the risk to the wider population is assessed as low because most people are vaccinated.

Reported by Jennifer Rigby.Editing: Alex Richardson, Kirsten Donovan

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