Little Tick Bite, Big Problem: Lyme Disease
Target Audience: Pharmacist, Pharmacy Tech
Course Overview
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease and the sixth most common notifiable infectious disease in the United States. Lyme disease is a vector-borne zoonotic disease usually transmitted by Borrelia burgdorferi via ticks of the genus Ixodes. Generally associated with a tick bite lasting 36 hours or more and closely linked to erythema migrans, this infectious disease is rarely fatal but often causes symptoms such as arthralgias, arthritis, central nervous system complications, and other problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and numerous professional organizations have developed guidelines for prophylaxis and treatment. Ample information is available to help individuals who wish to avoid tick bites, successfully remove ticks, access testing, or receive treatment. Pharmacy staff are apt to encounter many of these individuals and can be excellent healthcare resources.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- List the prevalence of and risk factors for Lyme disease
- Recognize Lyme disease's signs, symptoms, and more serious manifestations
- Describe prophylaxis and treatment options in Lyme disease's various stages
- Use good patient engagement techniques to ensure optimal outcomes in patients who suspect they have Lyme disease
Faculty
- Introduction
- Lyme Disease and Ticks
- History of Lyme Disease
- Reservoirs and Transmission
- Epidemiology and Burden of Disease
- Risk Factors for Lyme Disease
- Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease
- Early Disseminated Disease
- Late Disease
- Diagnosis
- Prevention
- Prophylaxis and Treatment
- Antibiotic Prophylaxis
- Treatment
- Implications for Pharmacy Teams
- Summary
- Disclosures
From June 29, 2026 through March 11, 2027, participants must:
- Read the "learning objectives" and "author and planning team disclosures"
- Study the section entitled "educational activity"
- Complete the Course Test and Evaluation form. The Course Test will be graded automatically. Following successful completion of the Course Test with a score of 70% or higher, a statement of participation will be made available immediately. (No partial credit will be given.)
Credit for this course will be automatically uploaded to CPE Monitor®.
Faculty Planner Disclosure
The following individuals were involved in developing this activity: Jeannette Y. Wick, RPh, MBA, FASCP; and Pamela Sardo, PharmD, BS. None of the individuals involved in developing this activity has a conflict of interest or financial relationships regarding the subject matter. There are no financial relationships or commercial or financial support relevant to this activity to report or disclose by RxCe.com or any of the individuals involved in the development of this activity.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure
The information provided in this course is general in nature, and it is designed solely to provide participants with continuing education credit(s). This course and materials are not meant to substitute for the independent, professional judgment of any participant regarding that participant's professional practice, including but not limited to patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or health management. Medical and pharmacy practices, rules, and laws vary from state to state, and this course does not cover the laws of each state; therefore, participants must consult the laws of their state as they relate to their professional practice. Healthcare professionals must consult their employer, healthcare facility, hospital, or other organization for guidelines, protocols, and procedures to follow. The information provided in this course does not replace those guidelines, protocols, and procedures, but is for academic purposes only, and this course's limited purpose is for the completion of continuing education credits. Participants are advised and acknowledge that information related to medications, their administration, dosing, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, warnings, precautions, or accepted uses is constantly changing. Any person taking this course understands that such a person must make an independent review of medication information before any patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Any discussion of off-label use of any medication, device, or procedure is informational only, and such uses are not endorsed hereby. Nothing contained in this course represents the opinions, views, judgments, or conclusions of RxCe.com LLC. RxCe.com LLC is not liable or responsible to any person for any inaccuracy, error, or omission with respect to this course or course material.
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- Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 / Mac OS X 10.9 or later / iOS / Android
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- A connection to the internet
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, RxCE.com is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
PTCB Recognition
RxCe.com, LLC, offers pharmacy technician continuing education courses for PTCB recertification. Pharmacy technician courses are indicated both in the Target Audience description and the ACPE UAN which will end with a "T".