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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Public health officials have asked doctors to look for a rare disorder that causes paralysis after the diagnosis of the disease in six Minnesota children in recent weeks.
The disorder is called acute flaccid myelitis or AFM. It attacks the nervous system and can lead to weakness of the arms or legs and loss of muscle reflexes.
AFM affects less than one in a million children. Its origins are mysterious, but officials say that a virus can be at the root of some cases. Practices such as regular hand washing are recommended.
The Star Tribune reports that the polio-like disease has been brought to the attention of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2014, following the discovery of clusters in Colorado and California.
All six children in Minnesota are aged 10 and under and live in the Twin Cities in central and northeastern Minnesota.
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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
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