No Country Is Safe without Global Eradication of Poliomyelitis

Abstract

In 1988, the World Health Assembly endorsed the goal of eradicating poliomyelitis worldwide. At the time, the estimated annual number of new cases of paralysis was 350,000, and poliomyelitis was considered to be endemic in 125 countries.1 In the 25 years since then, the incidence of poliomyelitis has been reduced by more than 99%, and only three countries — Pakistan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan — have never terminated indigenous transmission.1,2 Wild-type poliovirus type 2 has probably been eradicated; the last naturally occurring case was detected in 1999.2 Wild-type poliovirus type 3 appears to be close to eradication, with no new . . .