Analysis
A viral tweet alleges that doctors reclassified polio cases under names like GuillainBarré syndrome and acute flaccid myelitis, suggesting polio was never eradicated. This conspiracy claims that any neurological disorder is really polio and that vaccinedriven eradication is a fraud. Medical experts reject this: conditions such as GBS and AFM have distinct causes and existed before vaccines; they are not poliovirus infections. Global surveillance shows that wild poliovirus is now confined to Afghanistan and Pakistan, further disproving the claim.
Recommendations
Clarify that GBS, AFM and similar syndromes are distinct diagnoses with different pathologies. Explain how wild poliovirus detection has plummeted and that eradication is measured through virus surveillance, not just clinical symptoms. Reinforce that polio vaccines target a specific virus and remain essential for preventing its return.