Pulse Polio Immunisation (PPI) uses oral polio vaccine (OPV) in mass campaigns. The strategy of simultaneous vaccination of all children under 5 years regardless of prior immunisation status achieves eradication by:

• A Creating an intense, synchronous boost in community immunity to interrupt wild virus transmission ✓
• B Eliminating all serotypes of poliovirus simultaneously through booster immunity
• C Replacing circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus with wild poliovirus
• D Achieving 100% individual protection in all vaccinated children

Explanation

PPI works by simultaneously immunising all children under 5 across wide geographic areas on National Immunisation Days (NIDs), creating a rapid, population-wide surge in gut mucosal immunity. This interrupts wild poliovirus transmission by dramatically reducing susceptible individuals across all age groups within a short period. OPV via the faecal-oral route also spreads vaccine virus to unvaccinated contacts (contact immunisation). PPI does not achieve 100% protection in each child individually — it works through mass population immunity.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.