Wadala man dies of Guillain-Barré Syndrome; BMC says no need to panic

The city witnessed the first death caused by GuillainBarreacute Syndrome GBS this year on Monday night as a 53yearold man died during treatment at civicrun B L Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central Amid GBS outbreak civic health department officials however say this isnrsquot a reason to panic and that they see GBS cases every year According to BMCrsquos health department the man was admitted to Nair Hospital with weakness in the lower extremities on January 23 around 16 days after he visited Pune Doctors said he also suffered from high blood pressureThis was the first GBSrelated death in Mumbai this year The deceased was a resident of F North ward which covers Wadala and Sion While he had visited Pune 16 days before admission to the hospital it cannot be confirmed if he contracted GBS thereGBS patient admitted in ICU in hospitalldquoAs the patients condition was critical he was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit ICU and was put on a ventilator due to difficulty in breathing He died at 11 pm on Mondayrdquo said Dr Shailendra Mohite dean of Nair Hospital ldquoIf anyone feels weakness they should contact civic medical facilities where we have expert doctorsrdquoAccording to Dr Mohite the situation is not like Pune ldquoWe received GBS patients throughout the year and we treat themrdquo he saidGBS patient admitted in ICU in hospitalAmid GBS outbreak another doctor told midday that the GBS test of the patient was done on the day of his admission and he tested positive ldquoWe started treatment immediately and gave him plasmapheresis procedure to remove and replace plasma from bloodrdquo the senior doctor said adding that a 16yearold girl was admitted to Nair Hospital on February 3 and is currently undergoing treatment Her condition is now stableSituation under controlDr Daksha Shah BMCrsquos executive health officer told midday that this is not an outbreak of GBS ldquoIt isnrsquot a situation to panic about We have been receiving GBS patients throughout the year We received patients from isolated areas Currently a 64yearold woman is under treatment at SevenHills Hospital and a 16yearold girl from Palghar is being treated at Nair Hospital The BMC hospital is equipped with medicine and expert doctors In Pune patients were recorded from certain areas But in Mumbai we received patients from isolated areas throughout the yearrdquo Dr Shah saidldquoAfter identifying a case we survey 200 to 300 houses in the areardquo another official addedAccording to the civic health department statement ldquoGBS is not a new disease It has been known for many years Although it is not a contagious disease it can sometimes develop after a bacterial or viral infection There are also many other causes of GBSrdquoGBS occurs throughout the year Approximately one in 1 lakh people suffer from this disease Therefore a few GBS patients come to major medical colleges like in Mumbai every month for treatmentldquoThere is no reason to panic If anyone feels weakness immediately contact the civic medical facility to get tested to start immediate treatment We have enough medical facilities with expert doctors including ICU and medicinesrdquo said Dr Shailendra Mohite dean of Nair HospitalArrangements at civic hospitalsAs a precautionary measure arrangements have been made for 60 ICU beds with ventilators for children and adults in the five major hospitals of medical colleges in Mumbai If more cases are reported in future 100 additional ICU beds with ventilators will be arranged for at SevenHills Hospital ldquoAll necessary medicines for the treatment of GBS patients are available in Mumbairdquo said an official53Age of the deceased manWhat is GBSGuillainBarreacute Syndrome GBS is a rare autoimmune disorder in which the bodyrsquos immune system attacks its own peripheral nervous system This weakens the nerves and in severe cases paralysis can occur GBS is not a contagious disease and is not spread from person to person The exact cause is unknown The disease occurs after a respiratory or digestive tract infection and requires immediate treatmentSymptoms include Sudden weaknessparalysis in arms or legs Sudden difficulty in walking Diarrhoea lasting for several days and feverNecessary precautions Consume boiled water Eat clean and fresh food Emphasis should be placed on personal hygiene Infection can be prevented by storing cooked and uncooked separately In case of symptoms contact nearest municipal hospital immediatelyTests for GBSSpinal tap A small amount of fluid is withdrawn from the spinal column to check for elevated protein levelsmdasha common finding in GBSNerve conduction studies Electrodes are placed on the skin over nerves to measure the speed at which electrical signals travel along the nerves if positive it indicates GBSBlood tests May be done to rule out other conditions with similar symptomsOther considerationsPhysical examination A doctor will perform a thorough neurological exam to assess muscle weakness reflexes and sensory changesInputs from Dr Deepali Ambike head of paediatrics dept YCM Hospital Pune