A Review of Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) for Primary Care Professionals

A Review of Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) for Primary Care Professionals

Program Overview

Released

Sponsored by

Valley Fever Center for Excellence, University of Arizona and Southern Arizona VA Health Care System

And

Southwest Health Professions Education Center, Inc. /VA Employee Education System/Northern Arizona VA Health Care System

Program Format

On-line, self paced, independent study program. Participation requires reading a monograph and successfully completing a post-test.

To Complete this Course

This course consists of a series of sections. These sections are shown in the Table of Contents pate. To access each section, simply click on the topic on the table of contents pate. At the end of each section you will be prompted to go to the next.

After you have completed all sections, go to the examination page, print the answer form and complete the examination. Completion and passing of this examination is required to receive continuing education credit.

Finally, go to the registration page and print and complete the registration form and program evaluation.

Program Description

In the southern deserts of Arizona as well as other areas of the southwest, Valley Fever is a familiar phrase to most residents. Specialists in Respiratory and Infectious Diseases are particularly familiar with the less frequent but more serious forms of the disease. In January, 1996, the Valley Fever Center for Excellence established a hotline which physicians and others with questions about Valley Fever may call for information. From questions received through the hotline, it became apparent that even though Valley Fever is a more commonly known disease, the infections that it causes are not fully understood. The nature of the calls illustrated a significant lack of awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and proper management of the primary infection. Early diagnosis of Valley Fever by primary care providers can improve patient care by reducing patient anxiety, unneeded diagnostic tests, and unwarranted use of antibacterial agents. Moreover, serious complications requiring treatment might be identified sooner. Hence the need for this course.

This activity is intended to provide a guide to the recognition and management of the most common manifestations of Valley Fever. It is not intended to be an exhaustive review of the disease. The information was selected for its relevance and usefulness to busy family practitioners, internists, and others dealing with patients in primary care settings, especially within regions endemic for Coccidioides immitis.

Objectives

Upon completion of this program participants will be able to:

1. Describe specific tests needed for diagnosing Valley Fever;

2. Develop an early diagnosis of coccidioidal infections which will help to reduce or eliminate the use of empiric therapy for bacterial infections;

3. Obtain early and accurate diagnosis of coccidioidal infections, thereby reducing the need and related expenses of testing for other diseases;

4. Describe commonly reported symptoms associated with primary infection versus those associated with secondary infection (dissemination).

Intended Audience

Family practitioners, internists, nurse practitioners and other primary care providers

Faculty

Faculty Disclosure

The Employee Education System (EES) must insure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor to all EES sponsored educational activities. The intent of this disclosure is not to prevent faculty with a significant financial or other relationship from presenting materials, but rather to provide the participant with information on which they can make their own judgments. It remains for the participant to determine whether the faculty interests or relationships influence the materials presented with regard to exposition or conclusion. When an unapproved use of a FDA approved drug or medical device, or an investigational product not yet FDA approved for any purpose is mentioned, EES requires disclosure to the participants. The faculty reported_____

Continuing Education Statements

Accreditation

The VA Employee Education System is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians. VA Employee Education System takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

Continuing Education Credit

The VA Employee Education System designates this educational activity for a maximum of XXX hours in category 1 credit towards the American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

The Southwest Health Professions Education Center, Inc. (SEC) is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider # CEP 11270. This program is approved for 2 credit hours.

Registration

Final Examination: In order to receive credit for this program you must complete a final examination. The final examination consists of --- items. You must correctly answer --- questions (70%) in order receive a passing score. When you are ready to take the examination, please print the examination answer form and follow the directions on the test.

Program Evaluation: This program also contains a program evaluation. This evaluation is useful in improving this program and we encourage you to complete it. Individual responses are confidential and not released. When you have completed the program, please print the evaluation and complete it.

Registration: Once you have completed the examination and evaluation, send them together with a completed registration form and tuition fee to the address on the registration form. Within 4 weeks you will receive certification of completion (successful completion of examination required).

TAKE THE COURSE TAKE THE TEST