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An acute infectious disease of humans, particularly children, caused by any of three serotypes of human poliovirus (POLIOVIRUS). Usually the infection is limited to the gastrointestinal tract and nasopharynx, and is often asymptomatic. The central nervous system, primarily the spinal cord, may be affected, leading to rapidly progressive paralysis, coarse FASCICULATION and hyporeflexia. Motor neurons are primarily affected. Encephalitis may also occur. The virus replicates in the nervous system, and may cause significant neuronal loss, most notably in the spinal cord. A rare related condition, nonpoliovirus poliomyelitis, may result from infections with nonpoliovirus enteroviruses. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp764-5)

Inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord, usually affecting the anterior horns of the gray matter (P. anterior). Acute anterior p. is a disease occurring especially in early childhood, characterized by an acute, often febrile, invasion, and by rapidly-developing motor paralysis and atrophy of certain groups of muscles, with subsequent contracture producing various deformities. In adults, subacute and chronic forms occur resembling more or less the acute form; and the name Chronic p. is also given to progressive muscular atrophy. Treatment: in acute stage, rest and counter-irritation over spine; in later stages, electricity, massage, and orthopaedic apparatus or tenotomy to relieve deformity or to assist muscles in regaining their power. P. bulbi, polio-encephalitis inferior confined to the medulla.

Inflammation of gray substance of spinal cord.

An infectious inflammation of the spinal cord.