Laboratory challenges in response to silent introduction and sustained transmission of wild poliovirus type 1 in Israel during 2013

Lester M. Shulman*, Ella Mendelson, Emilia Anis, Ravit Bassal, Michael Gdalevich, Musa Hindiyeh, Ehud Kaliner, Eran Kopel, Yossi Manor, Jacob Moran-Gilad, Daniella Ram, Danit Sofer, Eli Somekh, Diana Tasher, Merav Weil, Ronni Gamzu, Itamar Grotto

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) introduction into southern Israel in early 2013 was detected by routine environmental surveillance. The virus was identified genetically as related to the South Asian (SOAS) R3A lineage endemic to Pakistan in 2012. Intensified, high-throughput environmental surveillance using advanced molecular methods played a critical role in documenting and locating sustained transmission throughout 2013 and early 2014 in the absence of any acute flaccid paralysis. It guided the public health responses, including stool-based surveillance and serosurveys, to determine the point prevalence in silent excretors and measured the effect of vaccination campaigns with inactivated polio vaccine and bivalent oral polio vaccine on stopping transmission.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S304-S314
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume210
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Nov 2014

Funding

FundersFunder number
Israel Ministry of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    Keywords

    • emergency health policy response
    • environmental surveillance
    • epidemiology
    • molecular analysis
    • silent poliovirus transmission
    • vaccine
    • wild poliovirus

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