For a case of acute flaccid paralysis to be adequately investigated under polio surveillance, two stool specimens must be collected. The correct requirement regarding these specimens is:
- A Collected any time during hospital stay, 12 hours apart
- B Collected within 7 days of onset, at least 48 hours apart
- C Collected within 14 days of onset of paralysis, at least 24 hours apart ✓
- D Collected within 30 days of onset, at least 7 days apart
Correct answer: C. Collected within 14 days of onset of paralysis, at least 24 hours apart
Explanation
AFP surveillance standards require two adequate stool specimens collected within 14 days of onset of paralysis, at least 24 hours apart, each of sufficient quantity, arriving at the laboratory in good condition. Virus excretion is maximal early and wanes later, so late or single samples reduce isolation yield. These adequacy criteria feed directly into the non-polio AFP rate and stool adequacy indicators used to certify surveillance quality.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 26th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.