Pune: Cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome rises to 73

As per state health department data, of the 73 cases, there are 13 children in the age group 0-9 and 12 in the age group 10-19

4 min readPuneUpdated: Jan 25, 2025 08:43 AM IST

Maharashtra health authorities on Friday informed that they had identified 73 individuals affected by the Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.

Dr Babita Kamalapurkar, Joint Director of Health, Maharashtra told The Indian Express that a survey of over 7000 homes in the affected areas like Sinhagad, Dhayari, and Khadakwasla apart from some areas in Pimpri Chinchwad and rural parts has been undertaken. A total of 1943 homes in PMC limits, 1750 in Pimpri Chinchwad area, and 3522 in Pune rural have been surveyed.

As per state health department data, of the 73 cases, there are 13 children in the age group 0-9 and 12 in the age group 10-19. The state analysis revealed that eight patients each are in the 20-20 and 30-39 age group and nine in the 40-49 age group. Seven patients are in the 50-59 age group, 15 in the 60-69 age group and one person is in the 70-80 age group.

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Forty four of the 73 patients are from rural parts of Pune, 11 from within municipal corporation limits and 15 patients from Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation. Three patients are from other districts. There are 47 men and 26 women who have GBS and are admitted across various hospitals.

Apart from sending stool samples to the apex laboratory at the National Institute of Virology, water samples have also been collected from the affected areas and sent to the public health laboratories.

At Poona hospital and research centre, consulting neurologist Dr Sudhir Kothari and infectious diseases consultant Dr Amit Dravid had earlier reported that samples of their four patients had been detected with the campylobacter jejuni bacteria. Dr Kothari who is also former President of Neurological Society of Pune said that there were various causes of GBS which is a rare neurological disorder. On Friday Dr Dravid said that two more samples one from Patil hospital at Sinhagad road and other from Noble hospital have also shown presence of campylobacter jejuni.

“It is well known that if the disorder is preceded by loose motions then usually the cause is campylobacter jejuni. It is a bacteria commonly found in contaminated water and food and associated with several outbreaks around the world. The attack rate of GBS in patients with C. Jejuni is however 1 in 1000.” Dr Kothari said.

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In their report NIV had identified norovirus – a common cause of acute gastroenteritis along with campylobacter bacteria in some of the samples of persons with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Dr Kothari however pointed out that Norovirus is likely to be an incidental finding. “Nowhere have we come across any such reports of GBS caused by Norovirus.” Dr Kothari said.

This is an autoimmune disease that produces antibodies which attack the body’s nerves. It is a sequela of either gastrointestinal or influenza-like illness, health officials had said.

Dr Sameer Jog, consulting intensivist at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital which has 28 patients with GBS said that they were stable while at YCM hospital, six patients have been discharged, Dr Laxman Gophane, Medical Officer of Health said. At Sassoon General Hospital there are 13 patients with GBS being treated.

On a suspected death related to GBS, health authorities at Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation said the woman in her early 60s had been treated at Ruby Hall Clinic and D Y Patil Hospital in November last year prior to being referred toYCM. “A death audit has to be performed to ascertain the cause of death,” Shekhar Singh, Pimpri Chinchwad municipal commissioner said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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