The outbreak of a rare neurological disorder called Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in people over 60 in Pune has raised concerns. According to the Indian Express and Times of India, experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) have reportedly identified norovirus and Campylobacter bacteria in some samples taken from affected individuals.

While norovirus causes acute gastroenteritis, Campylobacter jejuni bacteria are a more common cause of diarrheal disease. Over the past few weeks, cases of norovirus have surged in the West, causing vomiting and diarrhea associated with gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

In India, 70–85% of norovirus-associated diarrheal episodes in children are caused by group II (GII) noroviruses. This is usually a contagious stomach and intestinal virus spread through contaminated food, water, or directly from person-to-person.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Campylobacter jejuni bacteria cause diarrhea (often bloody), abdominal pain, fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting.

In light of several cases attributed to GBS, the Neurological Society of Pune in a public alert urged people not to panic and reassured them that the neurological disorder is a “treatable condition”.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in which a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s peripheral nervous system – the network of nerves that carry signals from the brain to the spinal cord and then to the rest of the body.

While the exact cause of the disease is unknown, doctors say it is often preceded by a viral or bacterial infection, most commonly a respiratory illness or a gastrointestinal infection. Symptoms include weakness, fatigue, prickling pain in the legs, arms, hands, feet and face. Sometimes, there is difficulty in breathing.

Some patients with GBS may have difficulty walking up the stairs, weakness in the face and body, along with vision issues, difficulty swallowing, speaking or chewing.

Vice-Chairperson, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr. Anshu Rohatgi said that GBS can cause muscle weakness, numbness and even paralysis. Dr. “It may also involve the respiratory muscles and swallowing. This is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention and treatment,” Rohatgi said.

The expert said that sometimes, vaccines and surgical procedures can also trigger GBS.

Treatment involves using either intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange. Some patients may require ventilatory support.

There is currently no cure for GBS. Although many patients respond to treatment, recovery time ranges from a few weeks to years.