Table 1.
Comparison of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV).
| Property of Vaccine | Oral Polio Vaccine | Inactivated Polio Vaccine |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Live attenuated poliovirus serotypes (Sabin types 1, 2, and 3), in a 10:1:3 ratio, respectively. | Strain of each of the 3 serotypes that have been inactivated (killed) with formalin, adsorbed onto adjuvants. The final vaccine mixture contains 40, 8, and 32 d-antigen units of serotypes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. |
| Valency | Trivalent OPV (tOPV) and monovalent, against type 1 (mOPV1) and against type 3 (mOPV3) bivalent (type 1 and type 3) OPVs (bOPVs) | Only 1-type trivalent |
| Storage | +2°C to +8°C. Should be protected from light. Any vaccine showing particulate matter, turbidity, or change in color should be discarded | +2°C to +8°C. Should be protected from light. Any vaccine showing particulate matter, turbidity, or change in color should be discarded |
| Pathogenesis | Produce a local immune response in the intestines. Mucosal immunity decreases the replication and shedding of the virus | Antibodies are produced against the polio virus which provide humoral immunity, thus decreasing the replication of the virus. |
| Administration | Through mouth as drops | Intramuscularly into the upper arm or anterolateral thigh, can be administered alone or in combination with other vaccines |
| Recommended dosage | No longer in use in polio-free countries like United States and United Kingdom. Used routinely only in polio campaigns in high risk and endemic areas | A total of 5 doses of vaccine at the appropriate intervals |
| Vaccine efficacy | Immunity from oral poliovirus vaccine is probably lifelong. OPV produces excellent gut immunity | The duration of immunity with IPV is not known with certainty. Highly effective in producing immunity to poliovirus and protection from paralytic poliomyelitis. No gut immunity |
| Adverse effects | Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) outbreaks due to circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) | Adverse events following administration of IPV are very mild and transient |