Question

The region of the body where poliomyelitis virus multiplies

• A. Nerve cells
• B. Muscle cells
• C. Intestinal cells
• D. Both A and C

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Both A and C

Poliovirus generally attacks the part of the nervous system which generates a response by motor neurones which generally causes paralysis of muscles. It is transmitted from one person to another by oral contact with secretions or faecal material from an infected person. Once viral reproduction is established in the mucosal surfaces of the nasopharynx, poliovirus can multiply in specialised cells in the intestines and enter the bloodstream to invade the central nervous system, where it spreads along nerve fibres. When it multiplies in the nervous system, the virus can destroy nerve cells (motor neurones) which activate skeletal muscles. These nerve cells cannot regenerate, and the affected muscles lose their function due to a lack of nervous enervation a condition known as acute flaccid paralysis (AFP).

Therefore, the correct answer is option D.