Antimicrobials: brucellosis regimen: practice question

A Pharmacology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pharmacology · Antimicrobials: brucellosis regimen

Sample item

A 30-year-old dairy worker has undulant fever, sweating and sacroiliitis, and serology confirms brucellosis. Which regimen is recommended?

ACeftriaxone alone for ten to fourteen daysBCiprofloxacin alone for five to seven daysCDoxycycline with rifampicin for six weeksDAmoxicillin alone for two to three weeks

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Doxycycline with rifampicin for six weeks

Brucella is intracellular and relapses easily, so monotherapy is inadequate. Doxycycline plus rifampicin for six weeks is the standard oral regimen, and streptomycin or gentamicin may be added in complicated disease.

Option by option

A. Ceftriaxone alone for ten to fourteen days
Ceftriaxone alone is not a standard regimen, and a short course invites relapse.
B. Ciprofloxacin alone for five to seven days
Ciprofloxacin alone is inadequate, and a week or less is far too short.
C. Doxycycline with rifampicin for six weeks (correct)
Correct. Doxycycline with rifampicin is the standard combination for brucellosis.
D. Amoxicillin alone for two to three weeks
Amoxicillin does not reach adequate intracellular levels for this organism.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is C, Doxycycline with rifampicin for six weeks. Brucella is intracellular and relapses easily, so monotherapy is inadequate.

Why is "Ceftriaxone alone for ten to fourteen days" not the answer?

Ceftriaxone alone is not a standard regimen, and a short course invites relapse.

Why is "Ciprofloxacin alone for five to seven days" not the answer?

Ciprofloxacin alone is inadequate, and a week or less is far too short.

Why is "Amoxicillin alone for two to three weeks" not the answer?

Amoxicillin does not reach adequate intracellular levels for this organism.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antimicrobials: brucellosis regimen in Pharmacology. Doxycycline plus rifampicin for six weeks is the standard oral regimen, and streptomycin or gentamicin may be added in complicated disease.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Antimicrobials: brucellosis regimen?

Learn drugs as classes, then the exception in each class that an examiner would pick. Then use the flashcards and the other Pharmacology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.