Polio immunization for adults

General information
Polio is a serious infectious disease that can cause disabling paralysis of the arms and legs and breathing difficulty. In some cases, it may be fatal. Children are routinely vaccinated against polio, but routine adult vaccination is unnecessary if you live in the United States. However, it's recommended for groups of people at high risk of exposure to the polio virus.
There are two types of polio vaccines:

The inactivated polio virus vaccine (IPV) contains dead poliovirus and is given in a shot.
The oral polio virus vaccine (OPV, Orimune) contains the weakened poliovirus and is swallowed in liquid form.
Rarely, the oral vaccine has been associated with a child, family member or close contact developing polio. To minimize this risk, the inactivated polio vaccine is now used for polio vaccination. The oral vaccine is no longer manufactured or routinely available in the United States.


Recommendations
The polio vaccine is recommended for people who are at increased risk of exposure to the virus, including:
travelers to countries where polio is prevalent
people who live in communities where polio is present
lab workers who may work with the virus
health care workers who have contact with patients who may have the polio virus

Dose
Unvaccinated adults receive three doses of IPV, with the first and second doses given four to eight weeks apart, and the third dose given six to 12 months after the second. An accelerated schedule may be recommended if the time until possible exposure doesn't allow enough time to complete the series. Adults who've had a partial series of the polio vaccine in the past should complete the series.

Effectiveness/booster
IPV is 99 percent effective. If you have completed the series but are at risk of exposure to the virus, you should receive a booster.

Side effects
Side effects are rare, but some people develop soreness at the injection site. Very rarely, it's possible to have an allergic reaction to either the vaccine or one of its components.

Who should wait to receive the vaccine
The vaccine may be postponed if you have a moderate to severe acute illness.

Who should not receive the vaccine
You should not receive the vaccine if you've had a severe allergic reaction to a prior dose of the vaccine or any of its components, including the medications neomycin, polymyxin B and streptomycin.

Pregnancy-specific information
Vaccination during pregnancy is not recommended unless you have a great risk of contracting polio.