Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Ipol

Descriptions


Poliovirus vaccine is an active immunizing agent used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). It works by causing your body to produce its own protection (antibodies) against the virus that causes polio.

There are two types of polio vaccine that are given by injection, poliovirus vaccine inactivated (IPV) and poliovirus vaccine inactivated enhanced potency (eIPV). In the U.S. and Canada, the type of vaccine that is given by injection is eIPV. The type of vaccine that is given by mouth is called poliovirus vaccine live oral (OPV).

Polio is a very serious infection that causes paralysis of the muscles, including the muscles that enable you to walk and breathe. A polio infection may leave a person unable to breathe without the help of an iron lung, unable to walk without leg braces, or confined to a wheelchair. There is no cure for polio.

Immunization against polio is recommended for all infants from 6 to 12 weeks of age, all children, all adolescents up to 18 years of age, and certain adults who are at greater risk for exposure to polioviruses than the general population, including:

  • Persons traveling to areas or countries where polio is uncontrolled, whether or not they have been vaccinated against polio in the past.
  • Persons who live in areas where polio infection still occurs.
  • Adults who have not been vaccinated or who have not had the complete series of vaccinations against polio and who live in households with children who are to be given the oral polio vaccine (OPV).
  • Employees in day-care centers and group homes for children, such as orphanages.
  • Employees in medical facilities, such as hospitals and doctors' offices.
  • Laboratory workers handling samples that may contain polio viruses.

Immunization against polio is not recommended for infants younger than 6 weeks of age, because antibodies they received from their mothers before birth may interfere with the effectiveness of the vaccine. Infants who were immunized against polio before 6 weeks of age should receive the complete polio immunization series.

This vaccine is to be administered only by or under the supervision of your doctor or other health care professional.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Suspension

Reciba nuestro boletín informativo gratuito en español

El boletín informativo de Mayo Clinic en español es gratuito y se envía semanalmente por correo electrónico con consejos de salud, recetas deliciosas, descubrimientos médicos y más. Vea un ejemplo del correo electrónico e inscríbase a continuación.

Con el fin de proporcionarle la información más relevante y útil, y de entender qué información es beneficiosa, posiblemente combinemos tanto su correo electrónico como la información sobre el uso del sitio web con otro tipo de datos que tenemos acerca de usted. Si usted es un paciente de Mayo Clinic, esto puede incluir información confidencial de salud. Si se combinan esos datos con su información médica confidencial, toda esta información se tratará como información médica confidencial y solo se usará o revelará según lo descrito en nuestro aviso sobre políticas de privacidad. En cualquier momento, puede optar por no recibir las comunicaciones de correo electrónico si presiona en el mensaje el enlace para anular la suscripción.