Between poliomyelitis, often called “Polio”, and conjunctivitis, sometimes referred to as “Apollo” or “Polo”, confusion is quite common due to the similarity of these nicknames. Yet these two conditions are very different and should be clearly distinguished. In this article, we’ll explain the differences between polio (poliomyelitis) and polo (conjunctivitis) to help you better understand these two diseases.
Poliomyelitis (Polio)
What is polio?
Poliomyelitis, often referred to as “polio”, is an infectious disease (i.e. a disease caused by a microbe) whose causative microbe is called the poliovirus. It mainly affects children under the age of 5. It affects the nervous system and can lead to serious complications such as muscle paralysis and even death. Polio was once a much-feared disease, but as a result of successful vaccination campaigns, it is now extremely rare in many parts of the world. In Cameroon, a few cases occur in certain areas of the country.
How does it spread?
Poliovirus is spread mainly by the feco-oral route, i.e. by people drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the faeces of an infected person. The poliovirus can therefore spread when people fail to wash their hands properly after using the toilet. An epidemic (outbreak) is a situation where many people catch a disease at the same time in the same area. If many people in that area fail to take the necessary precautions to prevent the transmission of the disease, it can lead to an epidemic. In the case of polio, because of the high risk of contamination and the severity of the disease, if just one person gets sick in an area, that area is directly considered in epidemic.
How to treat polio?
There is no medicine to kill the polio microbe, so if a person gets the disease, nothing more can be done for that person. The person may recover on his or her own (by “luck”), or suffer serious complications or die, but in all cases he or she becomes contagious to everyone else because he or she carries the microbe (poliovirus) within. Even if he or she doesn’t show any signs of seriousness, those who are subsequently contaminated may not be so lucky, and could become paralyzed or die…
How can polio be prevented?
The only way to prevent polio is to get vaccinated. It’s important to get vaccinated against polio as often as possible, because each dose of vaccine received increases the level of protection against the disease. If everyone does it, even if a person ingests water or food containing the poliovirus, it will no longer be able to cause serious complications (see article “Why are vaccines important for everyone?“). In Cameroon, the Ministry of Public Health has an “Expanded Program on Immunization” that offers to children aged from 0 to 59 months, 05 (five) free doses of polio vaccine, the first dose being given at birth. Additional immunization campaigns also offer the opportunity to reinforce the protection of these children.
Conjunctivitis (Apollo or Polo)
What is conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis, sometimes called “Polo”, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the membrane that covers the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. Conjunctivitis can be caused by microbes (such as bacteria or viruses), allergies, or other irritants such as wind or smoke. Common symptoms (signs) of conjunctivitis include red eyes, itching, eye discharge, sometimes excessive watering, and a sensation of having a foreign body (“a stone, a dust…”) in the eyes. This can make the eyes uncomfortable, but conjunctivitis is generally not a serious disease.
For the history, in 1969, many astronauts (people who had been in space, on the moon) got viral conjunctivitis (caused by a virus). As these astronauts belonged to an American program called “Apollo”, everyone started calling conjunctivitis “Apollo”. As time went by, the story was forgotten and everyone wrote down the nickname as they saw fit. This is how we moved from “Apollo” to “Polo”, which sound the same and are often confused with the sound of “Polio”.
The key differences between Poliomyelitis (Polio) and Conjunctivitis (Apollo or Polo) are as follows
- Nature of the disease:
- Polio is a disease caused by a microbe that affects the nervous system, which can lead to paralysis and death.
- Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the eye, often caused by allergens (such as animal hair, plush toys, pollen…), irritants (such as smoke or wind…) or microbes (bacteria or viruses).
- Mode of transmission:
- Polio is mainly spread through the ingestion of contaminated fecal matter.
- Conjunctivitis is mainly spread when the eyes come into contact with the causal agent (allergy trigger or irritant or microbe).
- Consequences:
- Polio can have serious health consequences, including paralysis and death.
- Conjunctivitis, although uncomfortable, generally does not lead to serious complications.
What should you remember?
Although the names “polio” and “polo” sound similar, it is important to understand that these are two very different conditions. “Polio” is a serious infectious disease that affects the nervous system, while “polo” is an inflammation of the eyes that is generally not serious. It is essential to distinguish between these two names to avoid confusion and for a better understanding of these health problems.
If you suspect you have either of these diseases, it is important to meet a medical Doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Christelle Mpoulet, Freelance Writer (production of medical content combining scientific rigour and editorial clarity for an effective and impactful health communication)
