A Geneseo High School student has been diagnosed with pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.
The district confirmed the case in a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon.
Pertussis is a serious lung infection caused by bacteria. It is highly contagious and can spread easily by contact with the residue of an infected person’s cough or sneeze. Pertussis can last for 10 weeks in some cases.
Pertussis begins as a mild upper respiratory infection, including sneezing, runny nose, low-grade fever and a mild cough. Within two weeks the cough becomes more severe and is characterized by episodes of numerous rapid coughs, followed by a crowing or high-pitched whoop, hence the name of the illness.
The incubation period for pertussis is usually 7 to 10 days, with a range of 4 to 21 days.
If untreated, a person can transmit pertussis from onset of symptoms to three weeks after the beginning of coughing episodes.
The period of communicability is reduced to five days after treatment with antibiotics, the health department said.
Older adults and immunized children generally have milder symptoms, and may be unrecognized as ill, but can still transmit pertussis during this time.
Because of decreased protection over time from the original vaccine series, booster vaccines, given as “Tdap”, are needed to lessen the risk of infection even in people who have already had the original vaccine series.
Pertussis vaccine is now available for virtually everyone in different preparations.
The Centers for Disease Control recommend that all children and adults, including caregivers and grandparents of infants who are not old enough to have the entire series, get a booster vaccine.
For more information about the illness, go online to health.ny.gov/publications/2171/.