Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus: An Update of Evidence-Based Management of Pediatric Patients in the Emergency Department (Infectious Disease CME and Pharmacology CME)

CME Information

Date of Original Release: August 1, 2025. Date of most recent review: July 1, 2025. Termination date: August 1, 2028.

Accreditation: EB Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation: EB Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 4 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Specialty CME: Included as part of the 4 credits, this CME activity is eligible for 4 Infectious Disease CME credits and 1 Pharmacology CME credit, subject to your state and institutional approval.

ACEP Accreditation: Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice is approved by the American College of Emergency Physicians for 48 hours of ACEP Category I credit per annual subscription.

AAP Accreditation: This continuing medical education activity has been reviewed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and is acceptable for a maximum of 48 AAP credits. These credits can be applied toward the AAP CME/CPD Award available to Fellows and Candidate Members of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

AOA Accreditation: Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice is eligible for up to 4 American Osteopathic Association Category 2-B credit hours per issue.

Needs Assessment: The need for this educational activity was determined by a practice gap analysis; a survey of medical staff, including the editorial board of this publication; review of morbidity and mortality data from the CDC, AHA, NCHS, and ACEP; and evaluation responses from prior educational activities for emergency physicians.

Target Audience: This enduring material is designed for emergency medicine physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and residents.

Goals: Upon completion of this activity, you should be able to: (1) identify areas in practice that require modification to be consistent with current evidence in order to improve competence and performance; (2) develop strategies to accurately diagnose and treat both common and critical ED presentations; and (3) demonstrate informed medical decision-making based on the strongest clinical evidence.

CME Objectives: Upon completion of this activity, you should be able to: (1) identify the steps necessary to obtain diphtheria antitoxin for clinically suspected cases; (2) explain the expected course of illness for patients with pertussis; (3) recognize the clinical signs of generalized tetanus; and (4) identify the most common side effect of the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis combination vaccine.

Discussion of Investigational Information: As part of the activity, faculty may be presenting investigational information about pharmaceutical products that is outside Food and Drug Administration-approved labeling. Information presented as part of this activity is intended solely as continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of any pharmaceutical product.

Disclosure: It is the policy of EB Medicine to ensure objectivity, balance, independence, transparency, and scientific rigor in all CME activities. All individuals in a position to control content have disclosed all financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies. EB Medicine has assessed all relationships with ineligible companies disclosed, identified those financial relationships deemed relevant, and appropriately mitigated all relevant financial relationships based on each individual’s role(s). Please find disclosure information for this activity below:

Planners

• Ilene Claudius, MD (Editor-in-Chief): Nothing to Disclose
• Tim Horeczko, MD, MSCR (Editor-in-Chief): Nothing to Disclose

Faculty

• Lara Zibners, MD, MMEd, MBA (Author): Nothing to Disclose
• Randolph Cordle, MD (Peer Reviewer): Nothing to Disclose
• Kathryn H. Pade, MD (Peer Reviewer): Nothing to Disclose
• Aimee Mishler, PharmD (Pharmacology Editor): Nothing to Disclose
• Brian Skrainka, MD (CME Question Editor): Nothing to Disclose
• Cheryl Belton, PhD (Content Editor): Nothing to Disclose
• Dorothy Whisenhunt, MS (Content Editor): Nothing to Disclose

Commercial Support: This issue of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice did not receive any commercial support.

Earning Credit: Go online to www.ebmedicine.net/CME and click on the title of the test you wish to take.When completed, a CME certificate will be emailed to you.

Additional Policies: For additional policies, including our statement of conflict of interest, source of funding, statement of informed consent, and statement of human and animal rights, visit www.ebmedicine.net/policies.