Polio is a very contagious disease — it spreads easily from person to person. Most people who get polio don’t have any serious problems. But in some cases, polio can be very dangerous and lead to permanent disabilities — and even death. Even though it’s rare in the United States, polio still exists.

Polio usually spreads when someone gets certain body fluids or fecal matter from a person with polio on their hands and then touches their own mouth.

All children need 4 doses of IPV (inactivated polio virus vaccine) as part of their routine vaccine schedule.

Most adults do not need IPV because they were already vaccinated against polio as  children. But some adults are at higher risk and should consider polio vaccination. These higher-risk adults may need 1 to 3 doses of IPV, depending on how many doses they have had in the past.