摘要：Acute flaccid paralysis is the main clinical manifestation of poliomyelitis. Faecal specimens from cases ofacute flaccid paralysis in Australia are referred to the National Poliovirus Reference Laboratory forvirus culture to determine if poliovirus is the causative agent. Isolations of poliovirus are tested todetermine whether they have characteristics of the Sabin oral polio vaccine virus strains or wild typepolioviruses. In 2002, a poliovirus type 3, which tested as Sabin vaccine-like, was isolated from anAustralian patient with acute flaccid paralysis. A non-polio enterovirus, Echovirus type 18, was isolatedfrom the faecal specimens of another case of acute flaccid paralysis. In the same period, the laboratoryidentified 35 Sabin-like polioviruses from 52 referred specimens and isolates from cases without acuteflaccid paralysis. Australia is a member nation of the World Health Organization's Western Pacificregion that was declared free of endemic wild poliovirus in October 2000. Poliomyelitis remains endemicin three of the WHO regions of the world and wild poliovirus may be re-introduced to Australia. Whilethe number of polio-endemic countries has been reduced to seven, the total number of wild poliovirusesidentified increased in 2002 compared to 2001 due to a sharp rise in isolations of wild virus fromNorthern India. Until global eradication of poliomyelitis is achieved, it is essential that a high level ofpoliovirus vaccination coverage, and surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis, be maintained inAustralia
