SPANISH FORT, Ala. — A single case of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has been confirmed at Spanish Fort High School, but as of press time there were no reports the highly contagious condition has spread.

Parents were alerted Nov. 20 by the Baldwin County Health Department of the isolated case in a letter outlining public health guidelines for identifying the condition and containing its spread.

“Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that is spread to others by contact with respiratory droplets such as coughing,” wrote David D. Legett in the letter. Legett serves as the county health department’s area immunization manager.

Legett said the ailment begins with symptoms similar to the common cold such as a runny nose, mild sore throat and a mild, dry cough. A mild fever might accompany the condition.

Pertussis is often referred to as whooping cough because those affected typically experience a worsening of the coughing symptoms over the course of several weeks that can ultimately lead to a “series of coughs followed by a whooping noise as the person struggles to breathe.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all close contact and all household members of infected persons receive antibiotic treatments, “regardless of age and vaccination status.”

The centers define a “close contact” as anyone who experienced face-to-face contact or shared a confined space for a prolonged period of time with the infected person. The designation also applies to anyone who had “direct contact with respiratory secretions from a symptomatic person.”

Anyone concerned about the potential spread of pertussis is advised to consider the following guidelines issues by the Alabama Department of Public Health.

For more information, contact the Baldwin County Health Department at (251) 947-6206.