Polio Eradication in India

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative gained a great success in India in the last one year, especially on the epidemiology of type 1 wild poliovirus (WPV), by the intensive use of monovalent oral polio vaccine (OPV) type 1. However, failure to completely interrupt the transmission of type 1 and persistence of type 3 WPV in western Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are still causes of concern. The year 2010 was very crucial for polio eradication in India; as good control over transmission of type 1 wild polio virus was achieved. While mOPV1 is a sharper tool against WPV1, bOPV seems to be adequate against WPV3; hence there may not be any more need for mOPV3. Thus, the key to success lies in intelligent and imaginative use of the three OPVs, i.e. mOPV1, bOPV and tOPV, against WPV types 1 and 3, and circulating vaccine derived polio virus types 1, 2 and 3. Serious consideration should be given to a contingency plan to the use of inactivated polio vaccine or non OPV in endemic areas.