Brazil: Wild poliovirus type 1 detected in Sao Paulo sewage samples
The detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV-1) in sewage samples in Brazil has prompted the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) / World Health Organization (WHO) to recommend that Member States maintain both high vaccination coverage against polio and high quality surveillance for timely detection and response to imported wild poliovirus.
The PAHO reported Saturday the Brazil International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) reported last week the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples collected in March 2014 at the International Airport of Viracopos located in Campinas, Sao Paulo.
Genetic analysis of the WPV1 indicated a close match with a strain of polio recently isolated from a case of polio in Equatorial Guinea. The epidemiological investigation is ongoing.
Brazilian health authorities in response to the positive sewage sample, are strengthening surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), engaging in an active search for AFP cases across the state of Sao Paulo.
Brazil last reported a polio case in 1989 when 25 people were positive. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
As of last week, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has reported 103 cases of WPV-1 in 2014 with 88 percent reported from polio endemic countries.
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