Whooping cough at Kennesaw school

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A student at North Cobb High School has been diagnosed with pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

Parents of students at the Kennesaw school were notified via a phone call and letter from the principal, Phillip Page.

Whooping cough is a highly communicable, bacterial disease that can cause bouts of violent coughing. Although a vaccine is available to prevent the disease, the booster has proven to be about 85 percent effective, health officials have said. Over time, the vaccine's effectiveness is weakened.

Several Cobb County elementary schools had cases of whooping cough during the previous school year. Many of the students who contracted the disease received the vaccination, school officials have said.