Guide of poliovirus isolation and serological techniques for poliomyelitis surveillance

Abstract

The public health laboratory can conduct serological surveys to define more accurately the age-specific infection rates for each of the three poliovirus types and to isolate the types of virus in circulation. It is important for the public health laboratory to be involved in the control programme at an early stage and to play a role in strengthening the diagnosis and reporting of currently occurring cases, because it is the ongoing reporting system that can provide the earliest indication of the successes and failures of the programme. Specimens from clinically diagnosed cases should be routinely checked by the laboratory to confirm the diagnosis and, where discrepancies are encountered, laboratory and clinical personnel should collaborate in improving the criteria for diagnosis and the methods of specimen collection. The quality control of vaccines within the country of use is being strongly promoted in the WHO Expanded Programme on Immunization.