The polio endgame: ”a successful change in immunisation” globally

The global eradication of polio is closer than ever. Milestones in this effort include the eradication of type-2 polio (one of three), the ongoing introduction of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) into routine immunisation schedules, and the complex synchronised switch from trivalent OPV (all three types) to bivalent OPV (types 1 and 3) in all OPV-using countries during two weeks in April, 2016. A year on since the implementation of that switch, Julie Garon (Department of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA) describes it as an “overall huge success”, involving coordination and commitment from all levels of vaccination programs. However, work is still needed to eliminate the final cases of wild poliovirus. Ms. Garon talks Associate Editor of ADC Nick Brown through the rationale behind and the steps involved in the unprecedented synchronised switch from tOPV to bOPV.

Read the full article by Julie Garon et al., “The polio endgame: rationale behind the change in immunisation” at the Archives of Disease in Childhood website:adc.bmj.com/content/102/4/362.