Pune Faces Unprecedented Guillain-Barre Syndrome Outbreak: 73 Cases Reported in 5 Days

Pune, Maharashtra: Pune is currently witnessing an alarming surge in cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the body's nervous system. What began as an alert from three hospitals last Monday regarding 26 cases rapidly escalated into a staggering 73 cases by Friday—almost three times the initial count.

GBS typically occurs in 1-2 cases per month at large hospitals, but the current situation is far from ordinary. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported, although 14 of the hospitalized patients remain on ventilators due to the severity of the condition. Maharashtra's health authorities have launched a massive door-to-door survey campaign, covering about 7,200 homes in two days to detect early signs of the disease and spread awareness.

Experts point to Campylobacter jejuni, a pathogenic bacteria found in stool samples, as a potential trigger for this outbreak, further strengthening the link between the pathogen and the rising cases of GBS. Local authorities are ramping up their response as the investigation continues.