pertussis

Maine passed a new law last year to increase childhood immunization rates. The law, not yet in effect, would forbid religious and philosophical exemptions — if it's not repealed on Super Tuesday.

Forsyth County Health officials are investigating several cases of pertussis – also known as whooping cough. Most of them involve adolescents.

The goal is to reach 90 percent of children with the DTP vaccination — a child's first scheduled immunization. Some countries are barely at 50 percent.

Effectiveness of the vaccine within one year of the final booster was 73 percent. But it fell to 34 percent in two to four years, an analysis of a Washington state epidemic found.

National Health officials say pertussis, or whooping cough is on pace to be the worst in 50 years, with nearly 18,000 cases recorded so far this year. North Carolina is also seeing an increase.