Maine South student diagnosed with pertussis

• Reprints

Updated: January 24, 2012 4:09PM

Maine South High School in Park Ridge was notified this week that a student was recently diagnosed with pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.

The Cook County Department of Public Health informed the school Jan. 18. The student’s grade level was not included in the department’s notice.

This is the second case of whooping cough reported in Maine Township High School District 207 this school year. The last case was reported at Maine West High School in Des Plaines in December.

Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection for which a childhood vaccination is available. Waning immunity has led to the creation of two new vaccines for adolescents and adults.

The first symptoms of pertussis can include a runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and a mild cough, followed by severe coughing fits and vomiting after coughing. The cough associated with pertussis usually lasts several weeks, the Cook County Department of Public Health said.

Four cases of whooping cough were reported during the months of November and December in Park Ridge-Niles School District 64.