1 week Ago
Listen to Story A total of 59 people in Pune have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder. Around 12 out of the 59 are on ventilators. The Maharashtra health department has formed a team to investigate the sudden increase of cases in the city.
"The total number of GBS cases increased to 59 on Wednesday, including 38 men and 21 women. 12 patients are currently on ventilator support," said a health official. Doctors have explained the bacterial or viral infections generally lead to GBS since they weaken a person's immunity.
"It is prevalent in both paediatric and young-age groups. However, GBS will not lead to an epidemic or pandemic," said the official, adding that with treatment, most people recover fully from the condition. WHAT IS GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME? Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a rare neurological condition in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves, leading to weakness, numbness or even paralysis.
GBS is not just rare, the exact causes of it remain unknown. According to Mayo Clinic, around a majority of people with Guillain-Barre Syndrome have experienced symptoms of an infection at least six weeks before the GBS symptoms show. These infections include any respiratory illness or a gastrointestinal infection.
The symptoms of GBS include is weakness, which is experienced within in the feet first, then may move up the body to the legs, arms, face and breathing muscles. A person may find it difficult to walk up the stairs, or simply walking. Other less common symptom includes weakness in the face and then down the body.
The brain may received abnormal sensory signals due to nerve damage in GBS, according to US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Other symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome may include: difficulty with vision, difficulty swallowing, speaking or chewing, prickly pain in hands and feet, pain gets severe at night, abnormal heart rate or blood pressure and problems with digestion or bladder control. The condition is diagnosed by conducting a physical exam along with reviewing medical history.
A nerve conduction velocity test (NCV) is conducted to measure the nerve's ability to send a signal. A doctor may also analyse the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the spinal cord. Currently, there's no cure for GBS.
Some therapies can help reduce the severity of the condition..
