[From the goal of the global eradication of polio to the recent epidemics: reflections on the present epidemiological situation and future perspectives].

The recent epidemic of polio caused by the Wilde Virus which during last spring seriously hit Tagikistan, has now caused a crisis in the polio free situation of the European Region of the OMS. In addition, considering that there has been a sudden epidemic in Congo with a shift of the age of the first infection towards adolescents/adults and an unexpected death-to-case rate, it is worth reconsidering the risk of importing the Wild Virus into countries already polio-free. In consideration of the fact that Italy is a Country at high risk for importing polioviruses we analyzed the literature of the immunologic coverage of the virus in Italy, in order to verify the rationale for the administration of a fifth dose of polio vaccine to adolescents, what has already been introduced into the vaccination calendar in other European Countries such as United Kingdom, France and Germany.