Wild Card Blog

Wild Card Blog:

Given free rein on writing about whatever I choose to. I found this article about Bill Gates recently donating money to Nigeria to help with polio outbreaks that are occurring. In 2009 Nigeria had about 256 polio outbreaks and they are happy to report that only three have happened this year so far. The article did not state how much money the foundation contributed but it did state that in the past 17 months there has not been a single record of the virus affecting the Kano state.

Polio is a contagious, historically devastating disease that was virtually eliminated from the Western hemisphere in the second half of the 20th century. Although polio has plagued humans since ancient times, its most extensive outbreak occurred in the first half of the 1900s before the vaccination, created by Jonas Salk, became widely available in 1955 (kidshealth.org).

Polio is a viral illness that, in about 95% of cases, actually produces no symptoms at all (called asymptomatic polio). In the 4% to 8% of cases in which there are symptoms (called symptomatic polio), the illness appears in three forms:

• a mild form called abortive polio (most people with this form of polio may not even suspect they have it because their sickness is limited to mild flu-like symptoms such as mild upper respiratory infection, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and a general feeling of being ill)
• a more serious form associated with aseptic meningitis called nonparalytic polio (1% to 5% show neurological symptoms such as sensitivity to light and neck stiffness)
• a severe, debilitating form called paralytic polio (this occurs in 0.1% to 2% of cases)

People who have abortive polio or nonparalytic polio usually make a full recovery. However, paralytic polio, as its name implies, causes muscle paralysis - and can even result in death. In paralytic polio, the virus leaves the intestinal tract and enters the bloodstream, attacking the nerves (in abortive or asymptomatic polio, the virus usually doesn't get past the intestinal tract). The virus may affect the nerves governing the muscles in the limbs and the muscles necessary for breathing, causing respiratory difficulty and paralysis of the arms and legs (kidshealth.org).

I think it’s wonderful that Bill and Melinda Gates use their fame and fortune to create a foundation that gives to those, whether they are a country or a high school senior the opportunity to do great things. Because of their work the virus is almost destitute in the country of Nigeria. People are starting to not worry about losing loved one to a disease that can be stopped with the right vaccinations. Hopefully more people will start to help other countries as do Bill and Melinda Gates.

References:

Google (2010, June 7) Nigerian leader lauds Bill Gates on polio, healthcare AFP retrieved from http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5huKSzPKuqtYzJMy5Oa810tdLxY9w

Klein, J. Dowshen, S. (2007) Polio retrieved from: http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/polio.html