A80.0: Acute paralytic poliomyelitis, vaccine-associated

Polio is caused by viruses. These viruses may occur sporadically in some countries in Africa and South Asia. You can catch it by coming into contact with the saliva or excretions of an infected person.

Vaccine-derived viruses can also make you ill. When someone has been vaccinated with vaccine-derived viruses, the person may then excrete vaccine-derived viruses for a while. Vaccine-derived viruses have fewer properties that cause illness. The intention of vaccination is that the immune system develops protection by coming into contact with vaccine-derived viruses. The protection can then also act against viruses that can cause serious illness. These days only attenuated viruses are used for vaccinations in Germany. Nonetheless, vaccine-derived viruses can also occur in Germany.

Your symptoms are being caused by vaccine-derived viruses. The polio may only produce mild symptoms. If the symptoms are mild, you may get headaches, fever or a sore throat, for example. You may also have the urge to vomit. Some people also suffer from inflammation of the cerebral membranes. On the outside of the brain and spinal cord there are three thin meninges (linings). A tough meninx, the dura mater, is on the outside. Below that are two soft meninges. Inflamed cerebral membranes can cause a stiff neck and bad headaches.

You have developed a palsy as a result of the disease. With a palsy, you are no longer able to move the affected part of your body through muscular strength. Palsies may affect the muscles of the arms, legs and face, for example. But muscles required to talk, swallow or breathe can also be palsied. The skin's feeling may also be disturbed.