Susceptibility of itinerants ("travelling people") in Scotland to poliomyelitis

Abstract

A total of 109 travelling people (people with a nomadic lifestyle), living on 8 separate sites in central and south Scotland, were examined for neutralizing antibodies to poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3. Of those studied, 10% had no detectable antibody to poliovirus type 3 while 7% had no antibody to type 1, the types most commonly associated with outbreaks of paralytic poliomyelitis. Only one subject, a child aged 9 years, had no detectable poliomyelitis antibody; he had no history of poliomyelitis immunization. The best protected groups of travellers were those located on sites with good facilities.As far as poliomyelitis is concerned, we conclude that travelling people in Scotland who live on well equipped sites do not pose a hazard to nearby settled populations and, indeed, are no more vulnerable to infection than members of those communities.