Polio

The Disease:

Polio was one of the most dreaded childhood diseases of the 20th century in the U.S.. Many thousands of people died or were paralyzed by polio. Cold symptoms progressed to stiff muscles, severe muscle pain and permanent paralysis or even death from this virus that readily spread by contact with the feces of infected people.

The Vaccine:

Inactivated polio vaccine is given at ages 2, 4, 6 months and age 4 years and contains killed viruses that cannot cause polio symptoms.