Which statement about poliomyelitis is not true?

The statement regarding polio that is not true concerns the cause of paralytic polio. Paralytic polio is primarily caused by the poliovirus, which is transmitted through contaminated water or food and can also spread from person to person via oral secretions and feces. There is no association between paralytic polio and tick bites; this means that attributing poliomyelitis to a tick bite is incorrect.

In contrast, the other statements are accurate: there are indeed three types of poliovirus that can lead to paralysis; the virus is present in both oral secretions and feces, highlighting its transmission routes; and vaccination efforts have significantly reduced the incidence of polio in many parts of the world. Understanding these facts helps emphasize the public health achievements related to vaccination while also clarifying misinformation about the disease's transmission and causes.