Polio vaccine, inactivated

Polio vaccine, inactivated: A vaccine made from a suspension of poliovirus types I, II, and III grown in monkey kidney cell tissue culture and inactivated (killed) with formalin. Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is given by injection.. It does not give long-lasting protection against polio and so requires booster shots. It has been largely superseded by the oral polio vaccine. IPV is now reserved in the US for the immunization of immunologically deficient patients and for the primary immunization of unimmunized at-risk adults. IPV is also known as the Salk vaccine and, formerly, the polio vaccine.

The vaccines available for vaccination against polio are the IPV and the OPV (oral polio vaccine). IPV is given as a shot in the arm or leg. OPV is the preferred standard vaccine for most children. As its name suggests, it is given by mouth. Infants and children are given four doses of OPV. The doses are given at 2 months, 4 months, 6-18 months and 4-6 years of age.

Persons allergic to eggs or the drugs neomycin or streptomycin should receive OPV, not the injectable IPV. Conversely, IPV should be given if the vaccine recipient is on long-term steroid (cortisone) therapy, has cancer, or is on chemotherapy or if a household member has AIDS or there is an unimmunized adult in the house.