INFANTILE PARALYSIS Meaning and
Definition
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Infantile paralysis, also known as poliomyelitis or polio, is a viral infectious disease that primarily affects young children. It is caused by the poliovirus, which is transmitted through contaminated water or food, or through close contact with an infected person. The virus primarily targets the nervous system, specifically the spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness, paralysis, and in severe cases, respiratory failure or death.
The term "infantile paralysis" reflects the fact that this disease most commonly affects children under the age of five, although it can also occur in adults. The virus enters the body through the mouth and multiplies in the throat and intestines. It then spreads to the bloodstream and can invade the central nervous system, where it causes inflammation in the spinal cord and brain.
The symptoms of infantile paralysis can vary greatly, with some individuals experiencing only mild flu-like symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, in about 1% of cases, the virus attacks the motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness or complete paralysis in the limbs. This paralysis can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of nerve damage.
Due to the development of effective vaccines, the incidence of infantile paralysis has significantly declined worldwide. Vaccination campaigns have played a crucial role in eradicating the disease in many regions, and efforts continue to fully eliminate polio as a global public health threat.
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Acute anterior poliomyelitis.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for INFANTILE PARALYSIS
- unfantile paralysis
- jnfantile paralysis
- knfantile paralysis
- onfantile paralysis
- 9nfantile paralysis
- 8nfantile paralysis
- ibfantile paralysis
- imfantile paralysis
- ijfantile paralysis
- ihfantile paralysis
- indantile paralysis
- incantile paralysis
- invantile paralysis
- ingantile paralysis
- intantile paralysis
- inrantile paralysis
- infzntile paralysis
- infsntile paralysis
- infwntile paralysis
Etymology of INFANTILE PARALYSIS
The term "infantile paralysis" was coined in the late 19th century to describe a condition characterized by the paralysis of muscles, primarily affecting children. The etymology of the word can be broken down as follows:
1. Infantile: The word "infantile" comes from the Latin word "infantilis", which means "of a child" or "pertaining to an infant". It shares the same root as the English word "infant".
2. Paralysis: The word "paralysis" originates from the Greek word "paralyein", which means "to disable or disable the nerves". The Greek root "para-" means "beside" or "with" and "lyein" means "to loosen or untie". The Greek word was later adopted into Latin as "paralysis".
Similar spelling words for INFANTILE PARALYSIS
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