A student contracted and came to school with pertussis, or whooping cough, Foothill health technologist Debbie Fennern confirmed last week.

This is the second case of whooping cough at Foothill in the 2013-2014 school year. The first case was confirmed on December 5 by the Ventura County Public Health Agency.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the bacteria Bordatella pertussis.

Fennern said that there is a chance that anyone who came in contact with the student within 21 days of them having the disease could be at risk of contracting whooping cough.

She suggests that students be aware of the disease’s symptoms.

“If somebody comes down with a cold or cough symptoms that don’t seem to be getting better, or going away like a normal cold, that they should go to their doctor,” Fennern said.

Symptoms of whooping cough, according to the CDC, include a runny nose, minimal fever and mild cough for one to two weeks in the “catarrhal stage.”

In the following “paroxysmal stage,” those affected will have a burst of rapid coughing, followed by a deep “whooping” inhale.

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Fennern said she suggests that students get the whooping cough vaccine, although some are getting whooping cough despite of it. She said the student who came to school with whooping cough did have the vaccine.

According to the CDC, getting a vaccine does not mean immunity. DTap vaccines are 80 to 90 percent effective, while the newly developed in 2005 Tdap vaccines are about 70 percent effective.

Currently, the CDC is testing how long Tdap vaccines can protect someone from whooping cough.

If a student has already gotten the vaccine and contracts whooping cough, Fennern says that, “the illness is less severe and doesn’t generally last as long.”

Fennern said that getting treated for whooping cough is a simple swab test with a five day course of antibiotics, and highly suggests anyone with persistent symptoms get it to protect themselves and those around them.

“Cover your coughs, wash your hands and just be aware at this point […] it protects everybody,” she said.