Poliomyelitis Antibodies in Inhabitants of the Society Islands, French Oceania

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Abstract
This epidemic which occurred mainly in Tahiti during 1951, exhibited the high paralytic rate of 360 per 100,000. Type 1 virus was recovered from the feces of one paralytic case. Tests on serum samples collected from Tahiti during and after the epidemic and from the outer Society Islands soon after the close of the epidemic suggests the following conclusions: Immunity to poliomyelitis in the Society Islands prior to the epidemic of 1951 was greatest to Type 3 virus and less to Types 1 and 2. The outbreak of 1951 resulted from the recent introduction of Type 1 virus which had not been prevalent in the area before. The complement fixation response to Type 2 virus may have resulted either by stimulus from Type 1 virus known to be present in the area or to the presence coincidentally to Type 2 virus. This latter virus, however, was not isolated during the epidemic.