Tickborne diseases are on the rise in the United States with reported cases of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis are increasing in numbers and geographic range. Much information is available on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. However, little clinical training is available on some of the more severe and deadly tickborne diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. Signs and symptoms of these diseases can be difficult to differentiate from other diseases. Providers and public health practitioners need to be aware of these emerging issues and understand that early recognition, treatment, and diagnosing effectively can prevent severe and fatal outcomes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a new training module on the diagnosis and treatment of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis with opportunities for continuing education in seven professional categories, such as Continuing Medical Education (CME), Continuing Nursing Education (CNE), Continuing Education Units (CEU), and Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH). The module includes knowledge checks and a case-based scenario to help providers apply what they have learned.
Key learning points covered in the module include:
- Distribution of and epidemiology of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis in the United States
- Key clinical findings of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis
- Treatment recommendations
- Evaluation of testing options
- Disease prevention
This approximate 1 hour training comes at an opportune time as warmer weather approaches and outdoor activities increase.
