Which vaccine is used to prevent poliovirus disease?

The vaccine used to prevent poliovirus disease is the polio vaccine. In the United States, the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) has been the only polio vaccine given since 2000. This vaccine is administered by a shot in the arm or leg, depending on the person's age. The IPV contains killed poliovirus strains and is highly effective in preventing polio.

In other countries, the oral polio vaccine (OPV) is still used. The OPV is a live attenuated vaccine that contains weakened poliovirus strains. This vaccine is given orally and is easy to administer, making it particularly useful in areas with limited healthcare resources. However, OPV can rarely cause vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP) in some individuals, which is why IPV is the preferred vaccine in the United States.

Vaccination against polio has been successful in eradicating the disease in many parts of the world. However, polio remains endemic in a few countries, and ongoing vaccination efforts are necessary to maintain global polio eradication.