Which disease can cause paralysis and is transmitted via fecal-oral spread?

Which disease can cause paralysis and is transmitted via fecal-oral spread?

• A. Dementia
• B. Poliomyelitis
• C. Glaucoma
• D. Tension headaches

Answer: (B)

Paralysis caused by a virus that spreads through the fecal-oral route is most characteristic of poliomyelitis. The poliovirus is shed in feces and can contaminate water or food, leading to transmission—especially in areas with poor sanitation. If the virus reaches the nervous system, it can damage motor neurons and cause acute flaccid paralysis, which in some cases can be permanent. The other conditions listed don’t fit this combination: dementia involves cognitive decline, glaucoma is an eye disease, and tension headaches are a type of head pain without causing paralysis. The defining link here is polio’s potential to cause paralysis and its transmission via the fecal-oral route.