HYDERABAD: The state has reported its first case of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in a 25-year-old woman from Siddipet. The woman has no history of travel to Pune, where the disease is prevalent.
She is currently being treated on ventilator support at KIMS Hospital. The woman initially received treatment at another hospital for a week, but as her condition worsened, she was shifted to KIMS for advanced medical care.
According to Consultant Neurologist Dr Praveen Kumar Yada, “Despite the high prevalence of this disease in Pune, Maharashtra, the patient has no history of travel to Pune, nor does anyone in her family have a history of this condition. GBS occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous system after fever or loose motions.”
The rising number of GBS cases in Pune has instilled fear among people, as 100 cases and two deaths have been reported so far.
However, senior officials from the Health department dismissed any outbreak in the state and said that this infection is not a new one.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior health official said, “GBS is an auto-immune syndrome and is non-contagious. It basically follows after any previous infection, and every case is different. The Siddipet case is not the first one in the state. There are cases happening, but they are not usually reported. The woman had various other health complications after a C-section, and GBS is one of the conditions that the patient has. We urge people not to panic or spread any misinformation.”
GBS is a rare neurological disorder, an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, which can cause sudden weakness and numbness and can also lead to paralysis.
The syndrome affects the peripheral nerves, which control the body’s muscle movement, temperature, pain signals, and touch sensations.