About Oral Poliovirus Vaccine
Polio is a very contagious viral disease that can affect the nervous system and cause paralysis. Polio is also called poliomyelitis. Vaccines can help protect against getting polio.
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) recommends that all children get polio vaccine as part of the routine childhood vaccines. In the United States, only inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is used. It is given as a shot (injection) in the leg or arm. The CDC also recommends that adults be vaccinated if they were not vaccinated during childhood or did not receive all doses (“incompletely vaccinated”).
Oral polio vaccine is administered by drops in the mouth. Unlike IPV, which is inactivated virus, oral polio vaccine uses a live, weakened strain of polio. With a live virus, there is a rare risk that the weakened strain can mutate into a virulent (disease-causing) form of the virus. Oral polio vaccine is no longer given in the U.S. It is still used in other parts of the world.
Oral polio vaccine is generally well-tolerated, but may cause side effects including fever, irritability, diarrhea, and headache.
It is important to check with the healthcare professional regarding polio vaccine. It is a routine part of the childhood series of vaccinations. If you are concerned about polio and are unsure if you received polio vaccine during childhood, check with your healthcare professional for advice based on your individual situation. As a reminder in the U.S., only the IPV form is recommended. Oral polio vaccine is not used in the U.S.