Poliomyelitis: Do We Need to Immunize the Newborn?

Abstract

In their article Miller et al. propose administration of oral polio vaccine to newborn infants. This, they suggest, would obviate the difficulty of reaching these children later, when their voluntary return to a health facility cannot be assured. We agree there is merit in the idea that type 1 vaccine should be given as early as possible in areas where infection with wild poliovirus is frequent. In formulating such a program, however, one must consider factors that might interfere with its success.