PMC to form SOPs for ROs; purification plant proposed

FOUR FRESH SUSPECTED GBS CASES WERE REPORTED ON WEDNESDAY, TAKING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES TO 170

- Vicky Pathare

PUNE: Experts at the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) on Wednesday confirmed bacterial contamination of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) in water samples collected from the Kirkatwadi area.

This is the first time the presence of C. jejuni has been confirmed in water samples, even as the bacteria was noticed previously in stools of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patients.

As per the senior officials from the public health department, the tap water samples were taken from a housing society located in Kirkatwadi.

A senior official requesting anonymity said that this confirms that C. jejuni is the reason behind the GBS outbreak in these areas. "The reports were cross-verified with the ICMR-NIV scientist. It has been found that the society receives water from tankers. The water tanker lifts water from a well located in Kolhewadi," said the official.

Consumption of water and food contaminated with C. jejuni can cause bacterial infection and may trigger acute autoimmune sequelae including GBS, a rare neurological disorder.

Pune district has reported a GBS outbreak with the most number of cases being reported in areas along the Sinhagad Road such as Nanded Village, Kirkitwadi, Dhayari and DSK.

As per the public health department, around 70 per cent of the cases have been reported from these areas.