Pune: After experiencing one of its worst chikungunya outbreaks in recent times, the city is now witnessing a number of patients with post-recovery complications , doctors said. Of particular concern is a small subset of patients who had neurological issues during the infection, besides known issues such as joint pains. Some of these patients developed what's known as Guillain-Barré syndrome (or GBS), which affects peripheral nerves.
These individuals are now experiencing longer-than-usual recovery periods, doctors said. "While upper limb strength typically improves, many patients with GBS struggle with lower limb weakness, necessitating wheelchair-use," said Dr Ameet Dravid, an infectious disease expert from Noble Hospital. He said the neuro complications being seen are part of a broad spectrum of post-viral complications the 2024 chikungunya outbreak triggered.
Dr Dravid said: "Some patients who recovered from chikungunya have had gastrointestinal issues, including severe diarrhoea that needed specialised care after infection clearance. Cardiac complications have also been reported by some, including irregular heart rhythm." He said while such severe complications have impacted less than 1% of chikungunya cases, the scale of this year's outbreak, which spanned several neighbourhoods in Pune and nearby regions, has meant an inordinate number of people have gone on to need specialised care and rehabilitation.
"The challenge we're seeing now is management of these post-infec.
