Educational Objectives Principal Audience Sponsorship & Accreditation Presenting Faculty Faculty Disclosures Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection. It can cause meningitis – severe swelling of the brain and spinal cord. It can also lead to sepsis—a dangerous and potentially life-threatening blood infection.1 This CME online program will provide valuable information regarding the importance of the meningococcal vaccine in safeguarding adolescents at risk. Dr. Rounds will discuss how meningococcal disease is challenging because signs and symptoms may be hard to distinguish from common viral illness. Reference: 1.Granoff DM, Feavers IM, Borrow R. Meningococcal vaccines. In: Plotkin SA, Orenstein WA, eds. Vaccines. 4th ed, Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Inc.; 2004:959-987. Educational Objectives Upon completion of this activity, physicians should be able to: • Review the public health perspective and need for clinical guidelines • Describe meningococcal disease manifestations and epidemiology, with an emphasis on adolescents • Understand the risk factors • Review appropriate prevention through expanded vaccination • Apply these diagnostic and treatment recommendations Top Principal Audience This activity is intended for primary care physicians and health care professionals in primary care. Top Sponsorship & Accreditation This activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 2.0 Prescribed credit(s) by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Of these credits, 1.0 conform(s) to the AAFP criteria for evidence-based CME clinical content. CME credit has been increased to reflect 2 for 1 credit for only the EB CME portion. AAFP accreditation begins 10/29/07. The term of approval is for two year(s) from this date with option for yearly renewal. When reporting AAFP credit, report total Prescribed credit for this activity. It is not necessary to label credit as evidence-based CME for reporting purposes. The EB CME credit awarded for this activity was based on practice recommendations that were the most current with the strongest level of evidence available at the time this activity was approved. Since clinical research is ongoing, AAFP recommends that learners verify sources and review these and other recommendations prior to implementation into practice. AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit earned must be reported as Prescribed credit, not as Category 1. Top Presenting Faculty Dr. Rounds graduated from the East Carolina University School of Medicine and completed his residency training at Carolinas Medical Center. He completed a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University Of North Carolina School Of Medicine and a Family Practice-Obstetrics Fellowship at Carolinas Medical Center. In addition, Dr. Rounds served as President of the ECU chapter of the AMA Medical Student Section and the Medical Student Council. He also acted as the Site Coordinator for the ECU Rural Family Practice Residency at Clinton Medical Clinic. Dr. Rounds is currently in private practice in Wake Forest, NC and Board Chair of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians. Top Faculty Disclosures The presenter has no financial interest in or affiliation with any commercial services discussed during this program and no content of material in this CME activity will include the discussion of unapproved or investigational uses or products or devices. Top This activity is supported by an educational grant from sanofi pasteur. The program archive was coordinated by Extendmed.com.