Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why can paralytic polio be fatal?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
polio
A health care worker giving a polio vaccine to a child in Katsina state, Nigeria, 2014.
Paralytic polio can be fatal primarily due to respiratory complications resulting from the virus's attack on the central nervous system.1
When the poliovirus destroys motor neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem, it disrupts the signals required for muscle contraction. Fatalities often occur in two specific scenarios:1
- Spinal polio: Damage to the upper spinal cord can impair the muscles necessary for breathing.1
- Bulbar polio: The virus attacks the brainstem, damaging the nerve centers that control swallowing and speech. This leads to an accumulation of secretions in the throat, which can block the airway and cause suffocation. Furthermore, the inability to swallow or clear the airway can lead to the aspiration of saliva and food into the lungs, resulting in choking and asphyxia.12
Approximately 5 to 10 percent of individuals who develop paralytic polio die from these respiratory complications.1