Why in News?
Recent reports from Madhya Pradesh (Neemuch district) indicate multiple cases and deaths linked to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), prompting public health response and outbreak investigation.
Description:
Key Terms:
- Autoimmune Disorder: Immune system attacks the body’s own tissues
- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord
- Ascending Paralysis: Weakness starting in legs and moving upward
About Guillain-Barré Syndrome
- Rare neurological disorder
- Immune system attacks peripheral nerves
- Often triggered after an infection, not caused by infection itself
- Considered a medical emergency
| Cause & Trigger | Pathophysiology |
| Exact cause unknown Often preceded by infections Viral: Influenza, COVID-19 Bacterial: Campylobacter jejuni, Rarely after surgery or vaccination & Not contagiousNot water-borne | Autoimmune immune response Damage to peripheral nerves Affects: Myelin sheath (demyelinating type) or Axons of peripheral nerves Results in impaired nerve signal transmission |
| Key Clinical Features | Diagnosis |
| Progressive muscle weakness Tingling / numbness in limbs Ascending paralysis Loss of reflexes Severe cases: Breathing difficulty, Autonomic dysfunction, Can be fatal without treatment | Clinical presentation Nerve conduction studies Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) findings: Albuminocytologic dissociation, High protein with normal cell count |
Treatment:
- No definitive cure
- Supportive and immunomodulatory therapy: Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG), Plasmapheresis
- Early treatment improves outcomes
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