Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). The name is doing the rounds, though on limited scale these. This is the name of a disease considered to affect only one or two people out of a hundred thousand. Yet, this is drawing the attention of both public and public health systems in states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, and the southern states. The health administrations are watching the situation closely, though no public alerts have been issued yet.

Thankfully, the GBS is not contagious i.e., passed from person to person. Imagine, the effect would have been severe as crores of people are converging at Prayagraj for a holy dip during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela. It is merely an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, causing numbness and muscle weakness. The outbreak in Pune has been linked to contaminated water sources, which led to a widespread Campylobacter infection.

GBS, which is caused by contaminated water and food, generally affects only adults. However, the recent detection of some cases in children is a matter of concern. While there have been 100 cases reported in Delhi, over 60 people in the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh have already been said to be affected by this disease. The discovery of 11 cases in a single day is alarming, though. The Health Minister of that state himself announced that 50 people were affected by GBS, and two of them died, reflecting the severity of the situation. Recently, GBS has also been confirmed in Telangana. The health department is on alert after a woman from Siddipet district succumbed to GBS.

The bacterium Campylobacter jejuni, which causes gastrointestinal diseases, is responsible for Guillain-Barré Syndrome. In medical terms, it is an autoimmune disease. When pathogenic bacteria enter the stomach through contaminated water and food, they start showing their effects. This disease starts with diarrhea, stomach pain, and weakness, and it uniquely affects the immune system. As a result, the nervous system stops working and the muscles become paralyzed. Early detection and treatment can save lives, but if delayed, the patient may need to be put on a ventilator for treatment.

When the disease is not contagious, how come so many states are experiencing the GBS incidence these days. When two villages in Karnataka, located on the Maharashtra border, were affected by this disease, it was found to be caused by water contamination. Therefore, it calls for urgent measures by state governments to decontaminate water sources. People may tend to mistake GBS for diarrhea and weakness and risk their lives. Awareness shall be spread on the need to consult doctors to diagnose any symptoms of this disease. One may experience weakness and tingling; muscle weakness; unsteady walk; facial weakness; severe pain or craps; bladder and bowel issues; rapid heart rate, and breathing difficulties.

Why the governments need to be cautious of this disease is that the treatment for GBS is expensive. The cost of immunoglobulin injections used for this disease is over Rs 30,000. Moreover, these injections need to be administered thrice a day. Poor people cannot afford such an expense. It is incumbent upon the governments to ensure the availability of medicines and injections in hospitals and primary health centers. It is also time the central government steps in, help the state governments take adequate measures.