What Does It Mean That Polio Was Detected in Perth Wastewater?
If you have seen the news that polio was detected in Perth wastewater, do you know what it means?
Does it mean that someone in Perth, Australia is actually sick with polio?
What Does It Mean That Polio Was Detected in Perth Wastewater?
Fortunately, that’s not what it means.
Since there have been no reports of anyone being sick with polio, all that it means is that they have detected the poliovirus in wastewater samples?
Then, how did it get there?
Well, yeah, it does mean that someone who is infected with this vaccine-derived strain of poliovirus was in Perth.
“The national polio surveillance program has detected poliovirus in a wastewater sample taken from a wastewater catchment in Perth in mid-April 2026.
The surveillance system monitors wastewater for poliovirus and serves to provide an early warning on presence of the poliovirus in Australia.
The wastewater detection demonstrated evidence of a vaccine derived poliovirus Type 2 strain, similar to what has been detected in the wastewater of various countries globally in recent years, including in Africa, Europe and Papua New Guinea.”
Poliovirus detected in Western Australian wastewater
But it doesn’t mean that they are sick or have any symptoms.
“This finding is most likely from someone who has travelled overseas and is shedding this virus strain.”
Poliovirus detected in Western Australian wastewater
It is still a problem though.
After you get the oral polio vaccine, a live, attenuated strain of poliovirus, you can shed the vaccine strain. And rarely, the vaccine strain can mutate or revert so that it becomes less attenuated and can actually cause outbreaks of polio.
And that’s the danger here.
A danger to whom?
A danger to anyone who is exposed to this person and hasn’t been vaccinated, because then they could get polio.
How big of a danger?
Well, it is basically not a danger at all if you are vaccinated and protected against polio!
So if you have skipped or delayed getting your polio vaccines, then this would be a good time to get caught up.
Lastly, know that even with the danger of mutations, the oral polio vaccine is still necessary in some parts of the world where polio is not under good control.
And fortunately, we are very close to actually eradicating polio! Both wild polio and vaccine derived polio case counts are dropping more and more every year.
Or at least we will be if everyone gets vaccinated and protected…