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Poliovaccine virus in the cerebrospinal fluid after oral polio vaccination
Insights
Oral poliovirus vaccine can invade the central nervous system, even after prior inactivated poliovirus vaccine. This highlights potential antigenic weaknesses in vaccine responses.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Finland conducted an oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) campaign in 1985.
- The population had previously received inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV).
Observation:
- A 7-year-old girl developed symptoms including headache, vomiting, and fever.
- Poliovirus was isolated from her cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 34 days post-OPV.
- The patient experienced no paralysis.
Findings:
- Poliovirus vaccine strain can potentially invade the central nervous system.
- This invasion occurred despite prior vaccination with inactivated poliovirus vaccine.
- The case suggests a possible poor antigenic response to one poliovirus type from the IPV.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of robust immune responses to all poliovirus serotypes.
- Suggests potential limitations of IPV in preventing OPV-induced central nervous system invasion.
- Underscores the need for continued surveillance of vaccine-derived poliovirus events.
Abstract:
In February-March 1985 an oral poliovirus vaccine campaign was launched in Finland in a population vaccinated earlier with inactivated poliovaccine. During this campaign a strain of poliovirus was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of a 7-year-old girl 34 days after she had received oral poliovirus vaccine. She had long-lasting headache, vomiting and fever but no paralysis. This case demonstrates that poliovaccine virus can invade the central nervous system even after a complete course of inactivated poliovirus vaccine if the inactivated vaccine has been poorly antigenic against one of the three types of virus.