At least 22 suspected cases of Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder, have been reported in Pune in the last seven days. Blood, stool, throat swabs, saliva and urine samples of these patients have been sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) for analysis, informed a Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) official.

"The reported patients are mainly from Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Navale Hospital and Poona Hospital. The patients are experiencing symptoms like limb weakness or paralysis, following diarrhoea and abdominal pain triggered by contaminated food or water. Their blood, stool, throat swabs, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples have been dispatched to Pune's ICMR-NIV for analysis. PMC's health department too has been alerted about the GBS cluster," the official added.

Dr Vaishali Jadhav, Assistant Medical Officer, PMC, confirmed the increase in cases of GBS and said, "We will be notifying all the hospitals to report to PMC if any case of GBS is identified."

What is GBS?

GBS is a rare neurological disorder in which a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks part of their peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves that carries signals from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the symptoms of GBS are as follows:

- The first symptoms of GBS include weakness or tingling sensations. They usually start in the legs and can spread to the arms and face.

- For some people, these symptoms can lead to paralysis of the legs, arms or muscles in the face. In approximately one-third of people, the chest muscles are affected, making it hard to breathe.

- The ability to speak and swallow may become affected in severe cases of GBS. These cases are considered life-threatening, and affected individuals should be treated in intensive care units.