The critical role of acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Open Access
- 1 May 2017
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in International Health
- Vol. 9 (3), 156-163
- https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihx016
Abstract
Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance is a key strategy used by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to measure progress towards reaching the global eradication goal. Supported by a global polio laboratory network, AFP surveillance is conducted in 179 of 194 WHO member states. Active surveillance visits to priority health facilities are used to assure all children <15 years with AFP are detected, followed by stool specimen collection and testing for poliovirus in WHO-accredited polio laboratories. The quality of AFP surveillance is regularly monitored with standardized surveillance quality indicators. In highest risk countries and areas, the sensitivity of AFP surveillance is enhanced by environmental surveillance (testing of sewage samples). Genetic sequencing of detected poliovirus isolates yields programmatically important information on polio transmission pathways. AFP surveillance is one of the most valuable assets of the GPEI, with the potential to serve as a platform to build integrated disease surveillance systems. Continued support to maintain AFP surveillance systems will be essential, to reliably monitor the completion of global polio eradication, and to assure that a key resource for building surveillance capacity is transitioned post-eradication to support other health priorities.Keywords
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Israeli public health response to wild poliovirus importationThe Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2015
- Polio Outbreak Investigation and Response in Somalia, 2013The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2014
- Environmental Surveillance for Polioviruses in the Global Polio Eradication InitiativeThe Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2014
- Rapid Group-, Serotype-, and Vaccine Strain-Specific Identification of Poliovirus Isolates by Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Using Degenerate Primers and Probes Containing Deoxyinosine ResiduesJournal of Clinical Microbiology, 2009
- Surveillance of enteroviruses in France, 2000–2004European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 2007
- Global Surveillance and the Value of Information: The Case of the Global Polio Laboratory NetworkRisk Analysis, 2006
- The value of community participation in disease surveillance: a case study from Niger*Health Promotion International, 2003
- Differential Diagnosis of Acute Flaccid Paralysis and its Role in Poliomyelitis SurveillanceEpidemiologic Reviews, 2000
- Certifying the elimination of poliomyelitis from Europe: Advancing towards global eradicationEuropean Journal of Epidemiology, 1998
- THE INCUBATION PERIOD IN HUMAN POLIOMYELITIS AND ITS IMPLICATIONSJournal of the American Medical Association, 1947