Europe is facing the growing risk of polio, despite the constant exercise of vaccination

An extremely large amount of polio detection in several European countries in recent months has emphasized the importance of maintenance of Europe free from Polio, in accordance with the Editorial Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Pameli Rendi Wagner and World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director of Europe Hans Kluge, which was published in “The future without polio, remains our goal, but in no case is certainly,” warns RENDI-Wagner and Kluge.

‘-said Kluge and Rendi-Wagner. This repeats the path established in the European vaccination program 2030, strategies of Polio GPEI and a global action plan for polio supervision.

Continuous risk emphasized by the last detection

While polio has been a threat to children’s health and well -being for centuries, this is mainly a forgotten disease for the vast majority of people in Europe. Thanks to successful vaccination programs, extensive supervision and explosion reaction, Europe has been free from polio since 2002.

However, the virus will continue to be imported to Europe, as long as it circulates all over the world. The pathogenic polio was detected in at least one country in Europe each year in 2015-2022. More disturbing, from type 2 vaccine, was detected in 2024 in sewage systems of 14 cities in 5 countries, namely in Spain, Poland, Germany, Germany, Great Britain and Finland.

These viruses are related to the line that was first detected in Nigeria in 2020 and which traveled to other 21 countries in Africa, causing explosions in 15 of them. The analysis of genetic sequencing indicates that before it was detected in Europe, the virus circled for a year elsewhere.

There is no evidence that the virus in Europe has been widespread in Europe. However, they can and lead to explosions, if unvaccinated people are exposed to a virus, as recently can be seen in Tajikistan, Ukraine, Israel and Great Britain.

Urgently needed public health activities

That is why rendi-wagner and kluge emphasize the need to maintain a high domestic vaccination in all populations. While the five countries that detected the Polio virus in 2024, maintained high levels of vaccination, also reported differences in some communities that, as a result, remain susceptible to the infection. ECDC estimates that 2.4 million children in the EU/EEA may not have received vaccinations required for protection in 2012-2021, with an additional 600,000 children who could leave vaccinations in 2022-2023.

ECDC has published a quick risk assessment of these detection recommending urgently taking priority actions to prevent and reduce possible polio transmission. WHO Europe has also published guidelines to help countries identify, start and track differences in vaccination levels.

Kluge and Rendi-Wagner also emphasized their commitment to close cooperation to support national and local public health authorities in their efforts to limit the virus. This support includes technical guidelines and resources regarding response to supervision and epidemic, facilitating data exchange and genetic sequencing of viral strains as well as helping in targeted risk communication and strategies of community involvement to improve vaccination. “Europe remains obliged to perform its website in the context of all relentless global efforts in this direction and has full ability to effectively,” said Kluge and Rendi-Wagner.