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<\/p>\nPoliovirus has been detected in a sample of Perth’s wastewater, health officials have revealed.<\/p>\n
Authorities said the detection in mid-April was evidence of a vaccine-derived poliovirus Type 2 strain, similar to what has been detected in countries such as Africa, Europe and Papua New Guinea in recent years.<\/p>\n
Western Australia’s chief health officer, Dr Clare Huppatz, said while it was extremely unusual, it presented a very low risk to the population.<\/p>\n
“While this is a significant finding, this detection does not provide evidence of spread of the disease in WA,” she said.<\/p>\n
“The potential for this strain to circulate in a highly vaccinated population is very low, and the poliovirus vaccination coverage in WA children is 92 per cent.<\/p>\n
What is vaccine-derived poliovirus?<\/p>\n
The vaccine for poliovirus effectively interrupts person-to-person spread.<\/p>\n
But on rare occasions in under-immunised populations, the live weakened virus contained in the vaccine can mutate and circulate, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.<\/p>\n
That results in vaccine-derived poliovirus, as suspected in this case.<\/p>\n
Australia uses inactivated polio vaccines which do not contain live virus and are given by injection.<\/p>\n
Dr Huppatz noted the presence of the virus in wastewater in Europe during 2024 and 2025 did not lead to anyone developing the disease.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis finding is most likely from someone who has travelled overseas and is shedding this virus strain,” she said.<\/p>\n
She said the case served as a reminder for people to be fully vaccinated against the disease while it still circulates overseas.<\/p>\n
The WA Department of Health said it was now increasing the frequency of wastewater poliovirus testing in the Perth metropolitan area.<\/p>\n
History of polio in Australia<\/p>\n
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Australia was declared polio-free in 2000.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A chart has shown a sharp decline in polio cases since 1956, when the vaccine was introduced in Australia.\u00a0 (Supplied: Australia Institute of Health and Welfare)<\/p>\n
“Although there has been no known local transmission of the poliovirus in Australia since 1972, there remains a risk of the importation of polio from overseas,” its website reads.<\/p>\n
Since 1987, the only case of polio detected in Australia was in 2007 when an overseas-born student acquired the disease during a visit to a country with known ongoing polio transmission, according to the AIHW.<\/p>\n
The previous two epidemics of polio in Australia were in 1956, and from 1960 to 1962.<\/p>\n
Cases of polio sharply declined after 1956, when the vaccine was introduced.<\/p>\n
Polio, also known as poliomyelitis, is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the poliovirus.<\/p>\n
Polio spreads through contact with infected faeces, leading to gastrointestinal infection.<\/p>\n
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), polio can spread through contaminated water or food, and largely affects children under 5 years of age \u2014 although anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease.<\/p>\n
‘Wild’ poliovirus cases have decreased by over 99 per cent since 1988, the WHO said, but the virus is still endemic in two countries \u2014 Pakistan and Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
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