Accreditation:
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University and the Lyme Disease Association. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)^TM. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure:
The College of Physicians and Surgeons must ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in its educational activities. All faculty participating in this activity are required to disclose to the audience any significant financial interest and/or other relationship with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s) of commercial services discussed in his/her presentation and/or the commercial contributor(s) of this activity. When unlabeled uses are discussed, these will also be indicated. 

Target Audience:
The target population is physicians from all specialties, nurses, psychologists, scientists, public health workers. It is also open to the public, and Lyme disease educators generally attend. The geographic area being reached is nationwide. No special background is required for effective participation, although those whose practices contain a high proportion of Lyme disease patients and those whose research concentrates on Borrelia burgdorferi will receive the most benefit.

Educational Need the Activity Addresses:
As a result of participation in this conference, attendees will be better able to diagnose and understand the pathogenesis of Lyme disease and mechanisms of persistence. Clinicians will be able to assess the impact of tick-borne diseases on pregnant women. Healthcare providers will be better equipped to explain to patients the new developments in the area of how the immune system may be causing persistent symptoms and discuss the role of nutrition in patient outcomes.

Course Objectives:
~ To learn about the scope of and clinical manifestations of Lyme disease in the U.S.
~ To learn about treatment strategies for Lyme patients & the role of nutrition in optimizing health.
~ To learn about mechanisms of virulence and persistence by the Lyme spirochete.
~ To learn about animal models, their role in documenting persistence, and the implications of recent findings.
~ To learn about tick-borne diseases and pregnancy.
~ To learn about depression in Lyme disease & the evaluation & care of the suicidal patient.
~ To learn about Lyme disease testing in Europe.
~ To learn about the long-term course of neurologic Lyme disease and unusual manifestation.
~ To learn about a possible relationship between antiphospholipid syndrome and post-treatment Lyme disease.

Scanning electron micrograph of the mouthparts of
Ixodes scapularis nymph
Photo thanks to Stephen W. Barthold, DVM, PhD