Since early January 2025, more than 207 cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) have been reported from Pune, many of them from within a 5 km radius of Sinhagad Road. On the 12th of February, Mumbai recorded its first death from GBS. At the same time, Bengaluru traffic police put out a cautionary video on precautions to take to prevent the spread of the disease. The outbreak in Pune has been linked to a pathogen known as Campylobacter jejuni, a major cause of foodborne infections and the leading contributor to GBS cases worldwide.
The study from IISc found a previously unidentified yeast-like symbiont inside the lac insect Kerria lacca, which gives the insect its distinctive red colour and, may also provide other nutrients in return for shelter.