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ST. LOUIS (AP) - Youngsters in the St. Louis area have been hit hard in the last six months by an outbreak of shigellosis, an infectious disease that isn't typically life-threatening but can cause severe flu-like symptoms.
Since Nov. 1, 648 people statewide — primarily kids ages 4 and younger and their caregivers — have come down with shigellosis, and most of the children attend day care centers. All but about 100 were in the region that includes St. Louis and surrounding counties, said Larry Phelan, an epidemiologist for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The disease is typically characterized by diarrhea, headaches, nausea, vomiting, stomach aches and cramps.
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