A primary school north of Brisbane is on alert after a whooping cough outbreak in the area, sparking calls for parents to take vaccination seriously.

Queensland Health is working with Kilcoy State School after 19 school-aged children in the small town were diagnosed with the potentially deadly disease.

Infectious diseases expert Professor Matthew Cooper attributed the outbreak to an anti-vaccination trend.

"It's unfortunately just part of a growing trend that many people have decided not to immunise," he said.

"We've seen this with other diseases that are more serious than pertussis but unfortunately the more people who choose not to immunise the more likely it is we'll get outbreaks."