Polio question

[BirthIsAwesome]

Okay, we were planning on delaying all vaccines for ds until he turned two, and then selectively giving a few individual ones. Polio was one we were going to skip altogether because of the fact that there hasn't been a wild polio case in the US for decades. However, we live in Italy (and will until ds is 3) and there are a LOT of African immigrants here. A lady close to me, that I trust, and who is also anti-vaccine, said that she gave her kids the IPV because of the risk of Africans bringing wild polio here. I am now wondering if this would be prudent. I would like your opinion.

[cappuccinosmom]

It's a possibility but not a likelihood.

However, mass vaccination has reduced the incidence of polio in many countries.  I know there are quite a few Ethiopians in Italy--that country had a 5 year stretch of no documented cases recently, and then what broke the stretch was 2 (??) cases.  It's not like the disease is running rampant, killing vast swathes of people.  But it is still there, and that means it could be carried by immigrants or visitors from Africa.  India might actually be a bigger concern, going by the numbers. (According to this site:http://ucatlas.ucsc.edu/health/polio/poliomap.html )

[BirthIsAwesome]

Thanks for your reply. According to this link  Nigeria presents the highest risk...I personally know people who immigrated from Nigeria (they go to my church).