Rare case of BBE reported in Pune GBS patient
Doctors at Poona Hospital report a rare Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis case in a GBS patient, revealing multiple complications and unusual symptoms.
Doctors at Poona Hospital have reported a rare case of Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE), an uncommon inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system, in a suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) patient. The 50-year-old man has been diagnosed with meningitis, encephalitis, and myelitis.
A resident of Sinhagad Road, the patient was admitted to the hospital on January 28. He had a history of gastrointestinal issues, and a Biofire Stool Gastrointestinal panel confirmed Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterial infection known to trigger GBS.
“Tests confirmed multiple complications: cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed meningitis—an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord; an MRI confirmed encephalitis and myelitis, indicating inflammation of the spinal cord. Additionally, nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests confirmed GBS,” said Dr Ameet Dravid, an infectious disease expert at Poona Hospital.
Dr Dravid noted that the patient’s condition is highly unusual. “This is a very rare presentation, and the exact cause needs further investigation. The patient initially had gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting. Later, he developed weakness in all four limbs. He also has urinary retention, facial weakness, and drowsiness—symptoms not commonly seen in GBS patients.”
“The patient has been placed on intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and steroids and remains under observation,” he added.
