2nd Guillain-Barre Syndrome case reported in Assam; teen critical

Guwahati: A second case of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) has been reported in Assam, where a 17-year-old girl is receiving critical care at Apollo Hospitals in Guwahati, officials said on Sunday. This development comes just days after the first GBS-related death was confirmed at Pratiksha Hospital in the city on Friday.
The teenage resident of Guwahati was admitted to Apollo Hospitals on Jan 19, with progressive limb weakness and slurred speech that developed within a day. "Following a thorough clinical evaluation and diagnostic investigations, including a CT scan, nerve conduction test (NCT), and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, doctors confirmed a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome," said Dr Hirak Jyoti Das, medical superintendent of Apollo Hospitals, Guwahati.
Given the severity of her condition, the patient was immediately shifted to the ICU and placed on ventilator support. She received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy along with broad-spectrum antibiotics. While doctors on Sunday said she was hemodynamically stable, a tracheostomy was performed due to persistent respiratory distress.
"She continues to experience quadriparesis (weakness in all four limbs) and persistent fever, necessitating broad-spectrum antibiotics, antifungal therapy, and other supportive medications under close ICU monitoring," Dr Das added. A multidisciplinary team is managing her treatment in the critical care department of the hospital.
Meanwhile, the state health department is closely monitoring the situation. Officials have visited Pratiksha Hospital to gather information about the first case, where the patient succumbed to the illness while arrangements were being made to transfer her to Delhi for advanced treatment. Her body has been transported to her family home in Bihar's Kishanganj district.
A senior health department official said while alertness has increased due to a large outbreak in Pune, there is no cause for panic. "Overall incidence per year is about 1 case per lakh population. It is actually more like an immunological reaction than any infection," the official said.