Antimicrobials: azithromycin for resistant typhoid: 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: azithromycin for resistant typhoid

Sample item

A 22-year-old with enteric fever has a Salmonella Typhi isolate resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and co-trimoxazole, with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (nalidixic acid resistant). He is clinically stable and can take oral drugs. Which is the best choice?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Azithromycin

In uncomplicated enteric fever with reduced fluoroquinolone susceptibility and multidrug resistance, oral azithromycin is effective and is a standard oral choice. Ceftriaxone is used for severe disease.

Option by option

  • A. Ciprofloxacin

    Ciprofloxacin is likely to fail because of reduced susceptibility.

  • B. Ampicillin

    Ampicillin is useless because the isolate is resistant to it.

  • C. Azithromycin (correct)

    Correct. Azithromycin remains active and works orally in uncomplicated resistant typhoid.

  • D. Co-trimoxazole

    Co-trimoxazole is useless because the isolate is resistant to it.

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.

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Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is C, Azithromycin. In uncomplicated enteric fever with reduced fluoroquinolone susceptibility and multidrug resistance, oral azithromycin is effective and is a standard oral choice.

Why is "Ciprofloxacin" not the answer?

Ciprofloxacin is likely to fail because of reduced susceptibility.

Why is "Ampicillin" not the answer?

Ampicillin is useless because the isolate is resistant to it.

Why is "Co-trimoxazole" not the answer?

Co-trimoxazole is useless because the isolate is resistant to it.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antimicrobials: azithromycin for resistant typhoid in Pharmacology. Ceftriaxone is used for severe disease.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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: azithromycin for resistant typhoid?

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.