GBS outbreak: Five dead, 145 cases in four states; check symptoms as cause remains a mystery

GBS Outbreak: People with Guillain-Barre syndrome usually experience their most significant weakness within two weeks after symptoms begin.

Written by Sushmita Panda

February 2, 2025 15:02 IST

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Some experts also maintain that GBS cases could increase if a new viral strain has mutated and spread to Maharashtra. (Image Credits: Pixabay)

GBS outbreak: The rare neurological disorder Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) continues to affect Pune, Maharashtra. In Pune, 18 out of 140 GBS patients are on ventilator support.

According to a report by Times of India, the current outbreak considered one of the largest GBS outbreaks as medical literature classified 30 to 50 cases as an outbreak until 2019 when Peru registered the worst flare-up. The South American country had 1,120 cases in 2019, with 683 cases reported in two months.

The TOI report maintains that the only link between Peru and Pune is microbe Campylobacter jejuni. Several studies across the world show GBS is linked with higher mortality and disability rates.

GBS has been so rare – India has a reported annual incidence of 1.75 to 2 per lakh population – that there are in-depth studies. In West Bengal, doctors suspect GBS to be the underlying cause of illness in some children. In West Bengal, several children have been diagnosed with GBS. One case involved a 17-year-old student from North 24 Parganas who died from septic shock and myocarditis, with doctors suspecting GBS as an underlying cause. Two other children, aged seven and eight, are on ventilators in Kolkata. One of them is showing slight improvement after weeks of intensive care.

What is the cause behind Pune’s GBS outbreak?

Health experts maintain that Infected water is the likely reason why Pune and some other places in Maharashtra are witnessing suspected cases, according to experts. It is noteworthy that seasonal peaks in the incidence of GBS cases has been well documented in India with a surge in cases around autumn.

Some experts also maintain that GBS cases could increase if a new viral strain has mutated and spread to Maharashtra. Some health experts maintain that reasons behind the Pune outbreak can involve multiple factors.

“Cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Pune have been rising, particularly following outbreaks of dengue. GBS is an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks peripheral nerves, often triggered by infections such as viral or bacterial illnesses. There is a noticeable pattern where these viral infections, especially dengue, seem to trigger immune responses that can lead to GBS. While Pune’s unpredictable monsoons increase mosquito populations and the risk of such infections, the rise in GBS cases is a broader concern across many regions. Hence, it is crucial to strengthen vector control efforts and improve early diagnosis to manage the condition before it becomes severe,” said Dr Pankaj Verma, senior consultant, internal medicine, Narayana Hospital, Gurugram.

What WHO says?

As cases of GBS continue to rise, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement that WHO is supporting health authorities in India’s western state of Maharashtra to respond to suspected and confirmed cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in the city of Pune.

“WHO teams are on the ground training the health workforce in conducting ‘active case searches’ in the community living in the affected areas to ensure every suspected case is identified, diagnosed and treated,” it stated.

What are the symptoms of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?

Symptoms of Guillain-Barre syndrome may include:

A pins and needles feeling in the fingers, toes, ankles or wrists.
Weakness in the legs that spreads to the upper body.
Unsteady walk or not being able to walk or climb stairs.
Trouble with facial movements, including speaking, chewing or swallowing.
Double vision or inability to move the eyes.
Severe pain that may feel achy, shooting or cramplike and may be worse at night.
Trouble with bladder control or bowel function.
Rapid heart rate.
Low or high blood pressure.
Trouble breathing.
People with Guillain-Barre syndrome usually experience their most significant weakness within two weeks after symptoms begin.