polio

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How did the polio vaccine change the world?

Jonas Salk; polio vaccine

Children with polio and the administration of polio vaccine

A child wearing a brace on a leg that has been affected by polio.

Historical mass vaccination programs in the United States

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poliomyelitis summary

polio: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2025

News •

Chad — Polio’s final frontier • June 11, 2025, 6:57 AM ET (Daily Maverick)

Facts

Also Known As	acute anterior poliomyelitis • poliomyelitis • infantile paralysis • Heine-Medin disease

Photos and Videos

Jonas Salk; polio vaccine

A child wearing a brace on a leg that has been affected by polio.

Historical mass vaccination programs in the United States

How did the polio vaccine change the world?

Children with polio and the administration of polio vaccine

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Topics

vaccine-associated paralytic polio spinal polio paralytic polio bulbar polio poliovirus fecal-oral route iron lung polio vaccine notifiable disease electromyography AIDS influenza smallpox bird flu hepatitis yellow fever measles cephalic disorder meningitis dengue

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

nervous system disease: Poliomyelitis

Key People

Kenny, Elizabeth; Sister Kenny

Elizabeth Kenny

Australian nurse

Albert Bruce Sabin

American physician and microbiologist

Jonas Salk; polio vaccine

Jonas Salk

American physician and medical researcher

full human skeleton

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