Poliomyelitis outbreak in Natal/KwaZulu, South Africa, 1987–1988. 2. Immunity aspects

Abstract An extensive poliomyelitis outbreak due to type 1 poliovirus took place in Natal/KwaZulu, South Africa, in 1987–1988, causing 412 paralytic cases. This epidemic differed from a previously described outbreak in Gazankulu, South Africa, in 1982 in that it occurred against a background of relatively good immunity. Thus, only 12% of patients lacked antibodies to types 2 and 3, indicating lack of previous immunization, and 76% of healthy children sampled in the epidemic area had serological immunity to all 3 types of poliovirus. The occurrence of extensive outbreaks in relatively well-immunized communities emphasizes the need to maximize herd immunity and reduce reservoirs of infection in the gut and in the environment, which can be achieved only with oral polio vaccine.