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. 1988 Feb;54(2):371–374. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.2.371-374.1988

Viruses in sewage waters during and after a poliomyelitis outbreak and subsequent nationwide oral poliovirus vaccination campaign in Finland.

T Pöyry 1, M Stenvik 1, T Hovi 1
PMCID: PMC202459  PMID: 2833160

Abstract

During an outbreak of paralytic poliomyelitis in Finland in 1984 and 1985 the widespread circulation of the causative wild-type serotype 3 poliovirus in the population was documented by demonstrating the virus in sewage water specimens in 13 different locations in the greater Helsinki district and in 13 other cities or towns all over the country. After the nationwide campaign with oral poliovirus vaccine in 1985, poliovirus serotypes 2 and 3 were readily isolated from sewage waters for up to 2 months, whereas type 1 poliovirus seemed to disappear from the sewage more rapidly. All of these isolates were temperature sensitive and therefore most likely vaccine related. The efficacy of the vaccination campaign in regard to elimination of the epidemic type 3 strain was evaluated by a follow-up study on viruses in sewage waters continued for 12 months through the subsequent expected season of poliomyelitis. Several types of enteroviruses, including five vaccine-related poliovirus strains, were identified in the 72 virus-positive specimens out of 93 studied. No wild-type polioviruses were found, indicating the success of the campaign.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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