Acute poliomyelitis in children: comparison of epidemiological and clinical features among immunized, partially immunized and unimmunized.

This study was conducted to compare the epidemiological and clinical features of acute poliomyelitis among immunized, partially immunized and unimmunized, as these have been postulated to be different amongst these subgroups. Of 614 children with acute poliomyelitis admitted at the Institute of Child Health, Madras, 162 (26.4%) were immunized, 183 (29.8%) were partially immunized and 269 (43.8%) were unimmunized. Poor environmental sanitation, unprotected water source and parental illiteracy were significantly more common among unimmunized group compared to the immunized group. It is concluded that there is no significant difference in symptoms, signs, clinical types, severity of paralysis and case fatality between the immunized, partially immunized and unimmunized.