Lincolnshire Post-Polio Library [The late effects of Polio - 4 Estimated incidence of paralytic polio and polio infection in Australia]

Lincolnshire Post-Polio Library - A Service of The Lincolnshire Post-Polio Network
The late effects of Polio Information for Health Care Providers
Charlotte Leboeuf

4 ESTIMATED INCIDENCE OF PARALYTIC POLIO AND POLIO INFECTION IN AUSTRALIA

It is estimated that 20,000-40,000 people had paralytic polio in Australia between 1930 and 1988 (see table).

These figures must be increased 100-fold to obtain the estimated number of infected cases during the same time period (2-4 million people).

Information has not been included from 1929 and earlier in this table, although polio was relatively common during that period also.

The number of these people, who have since died or emigrated is unknown, as is the number of people with previous polio who have entered Australia.

The age at infection is not known. An estimate of the present age groups is therefore included in the table.

ESTIMATED INCIDENCE OF PARALYTIC POLIO IN AUSTRALIA FROM 1930 - 1988 BASED ON MORTALITY DATA. ESTIMATED AGE IN 1990 OF PEOPLE WHO CONTRACTED POLIO BETWEEN 1930 AND 1988.
		Total estimated No. of cases of paralytic polio based on a death rate of:		Age in 1990 if age at infection was:
Year of death	Reported No. of deaths*	10%	5%	0-10 yrs	10yrs+
1930-39	592	5,920	11,840	51-60	61+
1940-49	480	4,800	9,600	41-50	51+
1950-59	871	8,710	17,420	31-40	41+
1960-69	75	750	1,500	21-30	31+
1970-79	11	110	220	11-20	21+
1980-88	1	10	20	1-10	11+
TOTAL:	2,030	20,300	40,600
* based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics

It is likely that the improved respiratory care during the later epidemics resulted in a mortality rate which was closer to 5% than to 10%.

This document comprises an index, foreword, introduction and seventeen other sections or subdocuments. Permission for printing copies is granted only on the basis that ALL sections are printed in their entirety and kept together as a single document.

Document preparation: Chris Salter, Original Think-tank, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Primary Document Reference: <URL:http://www.ott.zynet.co.uk/polio/lincolnshire/library/australia/leop/sectn_04.html>
Alternate Document Reference: <URL:http://www.zynet.co.uk/ott/polio/lincolnshire/library/australia/leop/sectn_04.html>
Created: 7th July 1997
Last modification: 9th January 2002
Last information content change: 6th June 2000