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ž ON-GOING RESEARCH –In articles in the Post-Polio Health Spring 2006 issue, there were reports about recent on-going research. For more complete information, please go to www.post-polio.org to review the articles in their entirety.
Mouse Model for Growth Factor Therapy - Dr. Burk Jubelt wrote of the success in developing a “polio mouse” with the hopes of finding a therapeutic intervention for PPS. The infected mice reacted to the polio similarly to humans, but with one mouse year equivalent to 30 or 40 human years, results can be studied more quickly. Previous tests of growth factors on people were not conclusive, as the dosages were considered too low with insufficient repetition, and/or the growth factors did not reach the motor neurons. The newer research with mice is to use two types of growth factors, injecting them in a way to reach the motor neurons.
Studies to Treat Fatigue – Dr. Olavo Vasconcelos is studying the use of modafinil (Provigil) in treating fatigue in patients with other neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. In the first PPS study conducted in 2005, modafinil did not reduce fatigue in those with PPS. In the second study, polio survivors are being examined for alterations in their brains and spinal cords to explain PPS symptoms. The third study will be looking at cognitive problems that are common among those with PPS, including concentration, memorization, and sustained attention.
Immunoglobulin Treatment - Our Winter 2006-2007 Polio Update contained an article about possible use of immunoglobulin in treating PPS, and you may wish to reread that one. More studies are showing a possible inflammatory process in the central nervous system of those with PPS. One study showed an increase in cytokine levels, which are greater when there is inflammation. Further research is recommended.
ž The Long Reach of the Poliovirus- In the Feb-Mar 2006 issue of Polio Epic, Inc, there was an article describing how the virus originally invades the body. The risk of contagion is still present in 2007, and immunization remains crucial. Here is the article. The poliovirus enters the body through the mouth and replicates in the pharynx and other areas of the GI tract. The virus invades local lymphoid tissue, enters the blood stream, and then may infect cells of the central nervous system. Replication of the poliovirus in motor neurons of the anterior horn and brain stem results in cell destruction and causes the typical manifestations of poliomyelitis. The incubation period for poliomyelitis is 6 to 20 days. Infected patients without symptoms shed the virus in the stool and usually transmit it to others via the fecal-oral route, although the oral-oral route may account for some cases. The most infectious period is from 7 to 10 days before and after the onset of symptoms, but the virus may be present in the stool for 3 to 6 weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 95% of all polio infections are asymptomatic. Approximately 4% to 8% of polio infections consist of a minor, nonspecific illness, such as a respiratory infection, without clinical or laboratory evidence of central nervous system invasion. Less than 1% of all polio infections result in flaccid paralysis. In most people with poliomyelitis, muscle function returns to some degree. In fact, many people recover completely. Weakness or paralysis that’s still present 12 months after onset is usually permanent.
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