Why is the oral polio vaccine better than the intravenous one?

Question

Why is the oral polio vaccine better than the intravenous one?

Answer 1

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What Weise Ente said.

No vaccine is given IV. The IPV is given IM.

The OPV is better at stopping the spread of the virus to others, which is why it's still used in countries where Polio is still a problem.

The IPV still protects against paralytic polio, but eliminates the small risk of contracting Polio from the vaccine. So in places where Polio has been eliminated (e.g western hemisphere) the IPV is used instead.

Edit: @ Awful, unless you've got anything intelligent to say, STFU.

Answer 2

First of all, there is no such thing as an IV (intravenous) polio vaccine.

IV means to deliver directly to the vein, polio vaccines are NOT administered that way.

Source(s): I have a degree and worked in health care.

Answer 3

Mero Princess,

Before I commence my answer, allow me to politely correct you. Polio vaccine is injected under the skin or into a muscle of the thigh/upper arm by a health care professional. This vaccine MUST NOT be injected directly into a VEIN, for which the term is “INTRAVENOUSLY”, as you write in your question.

To combat poliomyelitis – polio – two different vaccines are used. One is an injected dose of inactivated (dead) poliovirus, developed by Jonas Salk. The other is an oral vaccine, which was developed by Albert Sabin, using live-attenuated poliovirus. The attenuated poliovirus in the Sabin vaccine replicates very efficiently in the gut, the primary site of infection and replication, but is unable to replicate efficiently within nervous system tissue. Oral polio vaccine – OPV - was proved to be superior in administration by eliminating the need for sterile syringes and making the vaccine more suitable for mass vaccination campaigns. OPV also provides longer lasting immunity than the Salk vaccine. Good luck with your test/exam!

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Hope this helps

matador 89

Answer 4

The OPV is a live virus that stimulates the proper response to a gastrointestinal pathogen, namely an IgA antibody response.

The IPV triggers a systemic response that is not as effective against the polio virus in the intestine, although it does do a good job of preventing paralytic polio.

Answer 5

It depends what you mean by better. To add on to what has already been said about efficacy, the OPV is much cheaper than the IPV and does not require trained health workers to administer it. That's another plus in poorer countries.

Rhianna, are you drunk yahoo-ing?

Answer 6

Mainly cost. And they rely on poor people not reporting side effects

Step too far Rhianna: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=201103...

Answer 7

its made in a better way because it makes quicker

Answer 8

It isn't.