Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance: the surveillance strategy for poliomyelitis eradication To achieve poliomyelitis eradication, the World Health Organization recommends that countries conduct surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Acute flaccid paralysis

To achieve poliomyelitis eradication, the World Health Organization recommends that countries conduct surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is defined as a sudden onset of paralysis/weakness in any part of the body of a child less than 15 years of age. This syndromic reporting strategy, of investigating all AFP cases rather than just “suspected poliomyelitis”, serves many purposes. First, AFP surveillance substantially increases the sensitivity of the surveillance system and allows it to detect paralytic poliomyelitis due to wild poliovirus transmission in the population. Secondly, AFP surveillance provides objective data with which to monitor the quality of surveillance in an individual country or large population group. AFP Surveillance also helps to monitor progress in polio eradication when polio exists in a country as well as helps to define when polio is gone from the country or area.