The recent spike in Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases in Pune has raised concerns in the community. Recently, a Pune-based patient died after contracting Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Reportedly, the total number of GBS cases in Pune on Sunday increased to 101, comprising 68 males and 33 females.
What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?
GBS is an autoimmune neurological disorder, caused by a viral or bacterial infection. The recent spike of GBS cases in Pune was the result of bacterial infection resulting from water contamination.
In GBS, a person’s immunity takes a hit along with their peripheral nerves, leading to muscle weakness that can eventually progress to paralysis. The condition is rare, with an estimated incidence of 1/2 per 100,000 population.
THE WEEK spoke to Dr Kaustubh Mahajan, consultant neurologist, S.L. Raheja Hospital in Mumbai, who's earlier treated GBS patients.
Q: What do you make of the news of GBS as we are witnessing in Pune?
There is a probability that patients suffering from gastroenteritis, with certain infections like ‘C. jejuni’, their body develops immunity confusion where autoantibodies meant to protect from the infection start damaging our own nerves after 1 – 3 weeks. This happens only in a few patients with the infection due to molecular mimicry, where the C. jejuni bacterial proteins mimic self-nerve proteins, leading to immune system confusion.
GBS in Pune has spread clearly due to the intake of water which was untreated and contaminated due to multiple waste sources. Individuals who drank water from the well that was connected to a nearby dam developed gastroenteritis and these patients later developed GBS, within a span of 1-3 weeks. Now that the source has been identified and treated, doctors may see a decline in cases of GBS in a couple of days.
Q: Can we expect many more cases in the coming week or months?
Now that the source of contamination has been identified, and it’s been treated, infections with C. Jejuni are no longer possible. We should see a decline and we are already seeing a decline in gastroenteritis and GBS cases. The only GBS cases which we see now are the ones which was the usual incidence in the city of Pune.
Q: What is the typical age group most affected and tell us about your own experiences over the years in tackling cases of GBS?
Usually, people between the age group of 30-60 years are affected by GBS, however, it can affect anyone. In my experience GPS can be a deadly infection, therefore, early identification and treatment help to limit the nerve damage.
Even conditions of patients who have severe GBS experiencing breathing, and swallowing issues and require a ventilator, could be improved over the course of time with quality treatment and good physiotherapy within a period of 3 to 6 months.
