Summary of Polio Sero-prevalence in Pakistan

 

Background

 

Polio (Poliomyelitis) mainly affects children under five years of age. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in legs). Among those paralyzed 5%- 10% die due to respiratory paralysis. According to National Surveillance bulletin WHO February 2009, the AFP surveillance system reported 196 Acute Flaccid Paralysis cases in 2009, including 92 from Punjab, 47 from Sindh, 40 from KPK, 5 from FATA, 10 from Balochistan and 2 from AJK.

 

Due to the fact that majority of the annual child deaths worldwide are caused by infections and under nutrition is a contributing factor in at least 30% of these deaths, many of which are vaccine /or micronutrient preventable, therefore there is strong need to research the nature, strengths and mechanisms of interactions between nutrients and specific and non specific responses to vaccination.

 

 

Objectives

 

Primary objective is to provide the immunity profile of young children in Pakistan and also see the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency anemia in the target population and look for any possible interaction with polio seroconversion.

 

 

Implementation strategies

 

  1. Development of survey tools
  2. Planning meetings at study sites with identification of survey camp and labs
  3. Hiring of the staff
  4. Training to the field staff
  5. Survey Operational Procedures including screening of eligible children, obtaining informed consent, data and blood collection, data entry and data quality analysis
  6. Dissemination of reports

 

 

Results

 

Study shall be done at 3 sites i.e Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar. Karachi shall be done by AKU, Lahore by PMRC and Peshawar by KU.

200 children between 5 - 11 months and 36- 47 months in urban and rural slums shall be selected and consent taken from their parents. % ml of blood would be taken with 1 ml for CP, 1ml serum stored for zinc and magnesium and rest sent to CDC for polio antibody detection.

Data has been collected and work completed by PMRC while other 2 sites are in process of completion.

 

Results for CP and micronutrients shall be done at AKU and sent to all sites.