POLIOMYELITIS - EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PROPHYLAXIS .4. SEROLOGICAL AND VIROLOGICAL SURVEYS CONDUCTED AFTER A MASS VACCINATION CAMPAIGN FOR CONTROL OF A THREATENING POLIOMYELITIS EPIDEMIC

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55  (6) , 747-753
Abstract
In 1973 a type 1 poliomyelitis epidemic in Kenya was curtailed at an early stage by 2 mass distributions of trivalent oral vaccine. It was considered useful to know the immunity status of the child population that had resulted from the vaccine distributions and that had presumably contributed to its control. It was also helpful to know to what extent wild and vaccine virus strains were in circulation after the mass vaccination campaign. Anal swabs and blood were collected from a sample of the children in 4 areas where the efficiency of vaccine distribution had varied, and the results of virus isolation attempts and antibody tests are reported. Three poliovirus strains were isolated. The herd immunity after 2 vaccination rounds did not substantially differ from that found in Kenya on other occasions. Possible reasons for these results are discussed.