Kolkata has reported the deaths of two children suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder, in the past week. A 10-year-old child from Jagadal, North 24 Parganas, succumbed to the illness at Dr BC Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences on January 26 after being on ventilation for a week. This comes two days after a 17-year-old from Amdanga, North 24 Parganas, died at NRS Medical College Hospital.
According to sources at Dr BC Roy Hospita, two more children—one from Malda and another from Baduria—are currently receiving treatment for GBS. Meanwhile, the Institute of Child Health (ICH), Kolkata, has three GBS patients in its Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), including a six-year-old from Maipith admitted on Wednesday, reported TOI.
The other two, an eight-year-old from Baguiati and a seven-year-old from Joynagar, have been on ventilation for 14 and 27 days, respectively.
At Medical College Hospital, Kolkata, a nine-year-old girl from Chandernagore has been under treatment for nearly three months. While her condition is improving, she remains on ventilation.
“GBS is an auto-inflammatory disease that triggers antibodies leading to paralysis, which begins from the lower limbs and moves upwards. The most dangerous complication is respiratory muscle paralysis,” said Dr Prabhas Prasun Giri, PICU in-charge at ICH, Kolkata, reported TOI.
Despite multiple cases being reported, health officials clarified that there is no surge. “We usually see 20 to 25 cases annually. Unless there is clustering in a specific locality or a sharp increase, it cannot be termed an outbreak,” said Dr Mihir Sarkar, paediatrics professor at Medical College, Kolkata.
While GBS is primarily affecting children, some hospitals have reported adult cases as well. “We had two adult patients in the past month, which falls within the expected range. There is no clustering of cases, but we remain vigilant,” said Dr Tanmoy Banerjee, a critical care specialist at Medica Superspecialty Hospital.
Experts emphasized that GBS is not contagious but a post-infective disorder, often triggered by viral or waterborne infections. “The immune system mistakenly targets nerve cells, leading to demyelination and nerve injury,” explained Dr Amit Haldar, neurology director at Fortis Hospital Anandapur, who treated two GBS cases in January, according to TOI.
Health authorities continue to monitor the situation while maintaining that the number of cases remains within the usual range.
