Two children in Nigeria have been diagnosed with polio, ending a two-year stretch of zero instances of polio in that nation. The diagnoses amount to a setback for internationally unified efforts to completely eradicate the disease, according to a statement from the CDC.
Scientists and physicians working for the CDC have been collaborating with the Nigerian government, the World Health Organization and other international associations to eliminate polio in Nigeria and around the world for years.
Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!
"We remain 100 percent committed to eradicating polio," reads the CDC's statement. "Our experience has taught us that commitment and perseverance are two critical elements needed for success. We continue our commitment to end polio and will persevere until it is eradicated forever."
Polio is a potentially deadly infectious disease that can infect a person's brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis. The virus is transmitted from person-to-person, most commonly through contact with the contaminated feces of an infected individual. Thanks to an effective vaccine, the United States has been polio-free since 1979.
More articles on infection control:
Study: PPI use increases rate, severity of developing hospital-acquired C. diff
New study identifies why MRSA kills flu patients
Florida swimmer hospitalized with brain-eating amoeba