GBS outbreak update: Two dead in Andhra Pradesh

As reported by financialexpress.com on Monday, 17 February, the Indian Minister of Health, Satya Kumar Yadav, announced that two fatal cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) had been reported in Andhra Pradesh within the last 10 days. The victims were a 45-year-old woman and a minor male. The total number of confirmed cases of GBS in the country is currently 267 for the year 2024, with 141 cases reported in the first half of the year and 126 cases reported in the second half. According to Yadav, this increase is not considered to be abnormal, but rather consistent with the typical incidence rates of the disease, which average 25 cases per month. The Minister emphasised that the majority of cases can be effectively managed with standard treatment, while more severe cases may necessitate immunoglobulin injections and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. GBS arises from the body’s immune system mistakenly attacking peripheral nerves, resulting in muscle weakness, numbness, and tingling. The absence of a definitive cure for GBS necessitates therapeutic interventions such as plasma exchange, also referred to as plasmapheresis, and immunoglobulin therapy, which are routinely prescribed to alleviate symptoms and accelerate patient recovery.