In a statement, ministry of health clarifies vaccines contained attenuated polio virus
The Indian government has clarified that the Type 2 polio vaccine virus traces found in vaccine vials is not likely to cause infection.
“… (is) the attenuated (weakened) poliovirus and does not cause paralysis and was also earlier used in tOPV till April 2016. The recipients of such vaccine will usually shed the vaccine virus through fecal route for about 4-6 weeks after which it will die down. In small areas where such vials were used, polio surveillance in environment and through stool collection has been significantly enhanced by MoHFW, with support from WHO and partners to keep constant vigil on the shedding of the polio vaccine virus,” the Union health ministry (MoHFW) said in a statement.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS REITERATED THAT NO SAMPLE HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR WILD POLIOVIRUS IN SEWAGE OR AFP CASES SINCE 2011.
There was panic earlier this week when Polio II virus was found in stools of children in Ghaziabad and it transpired that the vaccine administered had traces of Polio II in the bivalent polio vaccine. The vaccine only has heat killed Polio I and Polio III virus.
The statement went on to say: “To enhance immunity against type 2 polio virus further, special mop up rounds for administering IPV are being conducted in the specified areas to reach out to such children who may have missed IPV. This would provide immunity to all the children against all the three types of polio virus including Type 2.”
Officials said that sufficient polio vaccine from alternate sources is available in the programme to implement Routine Immunization (RI) and Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI)and maintain the immunity against polio-viruses.
The government has reiterated that no sample has tested positive for wild poliovirus in sewage or AFP cases since 2011. The country remains polio-free and this status has been maintained for more than seven years since the last wild poliovirus case in the country was reported in January 2011.
