Is Guillain Barre Syndrome Life-Threatening? Know Why This Nerve Disorder Is Rapidly Spreading & How It Can be Treated

The Guillian Barre Syndrome is currently haunting the citizens of Pune with its rapid spread. With over a 100 cases reported until now, this disease has left the surroundings tensed. Have you wondered what is the real cause of behind the spread of GBS? With over 3 deaths reported and 17 patients on ventilators, people are intrigued about how to avoid getting affected, symptoms and the treatment available.

What is Guillian Barre Syndrome?

According to the National Institutes Of Health, "Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare but serious post-infectious immune-mediated neuropathy. It results from the autoimmune destruction of nerves in the peripheral nervous system."

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Guillain-Barré syndrome or GBS is an "uncommon sickness of the nervous system in which a person’s own immune system damages the nerve cells, causing muscle weakness, and sometimes, paralysis". It has also been linked to outbreaks of the Zika virus. The CDC states that the exact cause of GBS is not fully understood, the syndrome often follows infection with a virus or bacteria. Most people fully recover from GBS, but some have permanent nerve damage.

What causes GBS?

According to Cleveland Clinic, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a condition linked to your immune system and nerves. Here’s a simple breakdown of how it develops and what it involves. GBS often occurs after an infection. This is why it’s called a post-infectious condition. In up to 70% of cases, people develop symptoms within one to six weeks after being sick. However, researchers still don’t know why some people develop GBS while others don’t.

GBS is also an immune-mediated condition, meaning it’s caused by an abnormal response from your immune system. After an illness, the immune system might attack and damage the body’s peripheral nerves by mistake. This makes GBS an autoimmune condition. Unlike most autoimmune diseases, though, GBS isn’t a lifelong problem-it isn’t chronic.

The condition involves neuropathy, which refers to nerve damage. In GBS, it specifically affects the peripheral nerves. Your immune system rapidly attacks the nerves, damaging their myelin, which is the protective coating that helps nerves work properly. This can lead to symptoms that worsen over days. In simple terms, GBS is a rare condition where your immune system turns against your nerves after an illness, causing temporary but serious nerve damage.

Who should be worried and if GBS life-threatning?

While GBS is a rare condition, precautions must be taken amidst the outbreak. This condition can affect people of any age but mainly affect age group of people between 30-50.

Since this condition directly attacks your nervous system, it can develop complications like near-total paralysis, breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. There is NO CURE for GBS but if you see symptoms of the same, early diagnosis can help you recover faster.

According to Cleveland, The main treatment for GBS includes one of two options:

Plasma exchange (plasmapheresis): In this treatment, a machine separates the plasma from your blood, treats it, and then returns the plasma and blood to your body.

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG): This treatment involves intravenous (IV) injections of immunoglobulins, which are proteins that your immune system naturally makes to attack invading organisms.