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Medical Definition of Poliomyelitis virus
1. The picornavirus (genus Enterovirus) causing poliomyelitis in humans; the route of infection is the alimentary tract, but the virus may enter the bloodstream and nervous system, sometimes causing paralysis of the limbs and, rarely, encephalitis; many infections are inapparent; serologic types 1, 2, and 3 are recognised, type 1 being responsible for most paralytic poliomyelitis and most epidemics. Synonym: poliovirus hominis, poliovirus. (05 Mar 2000)