GBS: Contaminated Water Confirmed as Cause of Pune’s Guillain-Barré Syndrome Outbreak
Pune, 5th February 2025: Health officials in Maharashtra have confirmed that the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak in Pune—one of the largest reported globally—was caused by the Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) bacteria, which entered the water supply through contaminated wells and other sources.
The announcement came nearly a month after the first reported case on January 9, initially leading authorities to explore multiple possible causes, including food contamination. However, recent findings have ruled out food as a factor.
Since the outbreak began, 166 people have been affected, with five fatalities and 21 patients still on ventilator support. On Tuesday alone, three new cases were reported in the city.
A senior health official stated, “Out of 70 stool samples collected from patients, 27 tested positive for C. jejuni. This confirms that the bacteria infiltrated drinking water supplies in the affected areas and was responsible for the outbreak.”
Authorities are now focusing on improving water quality and sanitation measures to prevent further infections while continuing medical support for affected patients.
