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The Global Polio Eradication Initiative made immense progress after its establishment in 1988 as a consequence of high coverage with various poliovirus vaccines in all populations of the world. Problems have arisen in recent years, however, related to security issues in some countries, to the circulation of vaccine-derived polioviruses, and to the recognition that individuals with certain immune deficiencies can remain infected and infectious for many months or years. As natural infection and different vaccines have different effects on the immune system, the patterns of humoral and mucosal immunity to polioviruses in the world today are complex but are crucial to the ultimate success of the eradication initiative. This paper describes the background of the current situation and current immunological patterns and discusses their implications for managing population immunity to polioviruses in the years ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]