The search for a safer polio vaccine in a polio-free world

Polio, otherwise known as poliomyelitis, is a disease that the world, as a whole, is eager to be rid of. Once it has been permanently destroyed, the medical community will face new challenges. The polio virus has the potential to cripple and even kill its victims, spreading from person to person through infected feces in food or water. Polio is caused by the poliovirus, and around 0.5% of those infected will be paralyzed. This paralysis can occur within days or even hours of infection. The paralysis can eventually result in death as the muscles responsible for breathing seize up. Because only 3 out of every 10 infected people show any symptoms, the polio virus spreads through populations with ease. Mainly affecting children, polio has the potential to paralyze victims for life; this ability made it one of the most feared diseases worldwide. However, through huge, internationally coordinated vaccination programs, polio is finally being shown the door. The...