Polio medical interventions include which of the following?

• A. Ventilatory support for respiratory failure
• B. Antibiotics cure infection
• C. Vaccination cures infection
• D. Physical therapy cures infection

Answer: (A)

Polio can paralyze the muscles that control breathing, so in severe cases the immediate need is to support breathing and maintain ventilation. Ventilatory support—such as mechanical ventilation or other breathing-assistance techniques—addresses a life-threatening complication directly and buys time for the patient to recover muscle strength or for the illness to pass. There is no antibiotic that cures a viral infection like polio, and vaccination prevents infection but does not cure an active one. Physical therapy helps regain strength and function after the acute phase but does not cure the infection itself. So the intervention that best matches the acute medical need in polio is ventilatory support for respiratory failure.